If you want to know why Corning made Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the new cover glass the company unveiled today, you can thank (or blame) your big, fat phone.
When Corning set out to make unbreakable glass 15 years ago and began testing on mobile devices, the benchmark was 160g, which more than covered the original iPhone, which weighed 135g. Compare this to the iPhone 14 Pro, which clocks in at a hefty 206g, iPhone 14 Pro Max, which weighs a dense 240 grams, or the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which weighs in at a beefy 228 grams.
Corning VP and General Manager for Gorilla Glass David R. Velasquez told me this week that modern smartphones are now packed with far more technology (better cameras, more sensors, bigger batteries) and are heavier and denser than the phones Corning was originally testing on.
Now the benchmark is 200g. That’s still shy of some of the weight of the latest phones, but weight is not the only part of Corning’s testing methodology that’s changed and, more importantly, this Gorilla Glass is not the same, either.
Victus 2 is a new Gorilla Glass formulation. When we asked for specifics, Velasquez confirmed that it’s different than the original Victus, which was introduced two years ago, but added “It’s better, that’s as much detail as I can give.”
The result is a thinner glass that can stand up equally well to scratches but offers better breakage performance.
Corning, though, has changed its testing methodology. After years of dropping thousands of phones from 1M and 2M heights on simulated asphalt surfaces (sandpaper representing the coarseness of the surface with metal underneath it), Corning has added in simulated concrete. Guess they finally realized that we drop as many phones on the sidewalk as we do on the street.
With “concrete,” Corning is testing Gorilla Glass Victus 2 at 1M and still using “asphalt” for 2M tests. The difference is not so much hardness as it is the jaggedness of the surfaces. To demonstrate, Corning sent me a sheet embedded with two sandpaper squares with coarseness designed to simulate both surfaces. The “concrete” one is noticeably rougher to the touch.
It’s not just larger phones that are making Corning’s job harder. Velasquez reminded me that there was a time when protecting glass screens was comparatively easier.
“Back in the old days, before there were shaped glass parts, most of the design work was around the framing the phones would have. The iPhone 4 was the first time glass was elevated, a huge change and much more likely to break,” he said.
These days phones like Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, Google Pixel 7 Pro, and the iPhone 14 Pro seem to be made almost entirely of glass. I think Corning knows how to make a phone that might never break, but the collaboration between the glass-covering company and the phone manufacturer doesn’t quite work that way.
“OEMs come to us frequently [and say], ‘Here’s what we launch 3, 5 years from now. Can you do this in glass, if so, what are the design considerations?’” explained Velasquez.
What follows are conversations and even some adjustments of molecules and how they’re designed to strengthen the glass.
Velasquez was quick to add that phone manufacturers do not get bespoke glass products. However, understanding the direction phone manufacturers are heading can impact the kinds of glass (maybe even Victus 2) Corning produces now and in the future.
While Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is stronger than Victus 1, Corning has no control over how phone manufacturers use it.
“Most phone companies take this much better glass, and they make it thinner. Phones can never be thin enough, or they make a more aggressive design,” said Velasquez.
Can you fold it?
Speaking of aggressive designs, I had to ask about bendable glass. Corning doesn’t have a bendable product now, but the future will be a different story.
Velasquez confirmed that Corning is in “deep discussion with all big customers on where they’re going. Some are further along than others.”
The company expects to have launched in the next couple of years but could share little else about its plans. Still, Velasquez says Corning is very excited about bendable glass.
“What’s really great about partnering with customers on enabling bendable designs, is it's really, really hard to have glass bending and touching itself. It’s one of the hardest possible problems you can imagine. Corning tends to excel where the problem is really difficult. Our scientist love to sink their teeth into that.”
For now, though, Corning and its partners are rubbing their teeth against almost unbreakable and just-as-hard-to-scratch Gorilla Glass Victus 2. OEMs have the glass samples, and there are already some “design-ins happening.” Valesquez expects “announcements from some of our partners in the next three months”
In the meantime, we await truly unbreakable smartphone glass. Corning is working on it, but Velasquez told me “Not there yet but gonna be continuing fighting that fight.”
If you're looking for some phones that feature the current version of Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus, there's no better place to start than our Best Phones of 2022.
Google is finally rolling out its biggest Google Pixel update yet, which gives all owners of its Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones free access to its VPN by Google One service.
That's right – Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro users can now access a service that usually costs at least $9.99 / £7.99 / AU$12.49 per month for nothing. However, they won’t get access to the other Google One benefits that paying subscribers enjoy, like the ability to store up to 2TB of data in Google’s Cloud, and 10% back on Google Store purchases.
To get started using the free VPN you’ll need to open up the Google One app (or install it from the Play Store if you haven’t already). After doing so you may see a pop-up alerting you that your phone now comes with VPN by Google One, and there should be a new option in the app’s Benefits section that tells you about the VPN. Tap the 'View details' button on this option and you'll be taken to a 'Use VPN' toggle that you can switch on, giving you access to the Google One VPN in your phone’s Quick Settings.
You’ll also be able to activate and deactivate your VPN connection by going into your Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro’s Network and Internet Settings, and heading to the VPN section. The Pixel 7’s free VPN will be available in most countries where the smartphone is sold, with the exception of Singapore and India.
If you’re not in one of those countries and the service isn’t live for you yet, you may have to be a little patient; the update is currently rolling out, so it may not have been pushed to your Google Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 pro quite yet. Double-check your Pixel 7 and Google One app for updates, and check back every so often to see if the free VPN has gone live for you yet.
It’s worth noting, though, that while the Google One VPN isn’t one you should immediately dismiss, it won’t be quite as useful as some of the alternatives out there.
Analysis: you get what you (don't) pay for
The Google One VPN is a lot like the services provided by the likes of ExpressVPN or NordVPN.
Like its rivals, you can use Google’s VPN to keep your online activity private and secure; while using the VPN you can more safely browse data while using a public Wi-Fi connection, and no matter your connection the data can’t be tied to your identity.
What’s more, Google has promised that, like many of the best VPN services, it won’t use data transmitted over its VPN to “track, log or sell your browsing activity” beyond some minimum logging to ensure the quality of its service (though Google says it doesn’t associate your IP address or traffic with this collected data).
There is one major letdown though: you can’t use Google’s VPN to change your IP location. This means you won’t be able to use the service to view content that's otherwise not available in your region (a major draw for services like ExpressVPN).
The inability to change your location is certainly a disappointment, but considering that this service is free for Pixel 7 and 7 Pro users, a few downgrades compared to what’s offered by paid rivals isn't the end of the world. That said, if you're considering paying for Google One to get access to Google’s VPN on non-Pixel 7 hardware (like the Google Pixel 6, a Samsung Galaxy S22, or the iPhone 14) this is something to be aware of.
Today's best VPN deal
ExpressVPN - best VPN service in 2022 ExpressVPN has all there is to offer, from fast speeds to security smarts, supreme ease-of-use to 24/7 customer support –and even free cloud backup. It's a little pricier than some of the competition, but you certainly get what you pay for, and you can even try it for 30-days risk-free to see why we rate it so highly in our extensive testing. View Deal
There’s probably not long to wait now until the Samsung Galaxy S23 series launches, with these phones expected to land in early 2023, and more specifically they might land in February.
That’s according to “a Samsung Electronics executive with knowledge of the matter,” speaking to the Korea JoongAng Daily, in a report spotted by The Verge.
They reportedly claimed that “the S23 series will be shown during our own Unpacked event in the United States, which will be held in February,” and while they didn’t get more specific than that, the site cited local media outlets as saying that the Galaxy S23 line will be unveiled in San Francisco in the first week of February.
So the Samsung Galaxy S23 – along with the Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra – might only be around two months away, at the time of writing if this is accurate, but they might also be very expensive.
These are high-end handsets, so they’re never cheap, but the Korea JoongAng Daily additionally claims that the Galaxy S23 line will probably be more expensive than the Galaxy S22 or Samsung Galaxy S21 lines, thanks to inflation.
The site doesn’t get specific about the price, but for reference the Samsung Galaxy S22 starts at $799 / £769 / AU$1,249, so the Galaxy S23 may well cost more than that – with the S23 Plus and S23 Ultra having even higher prices.
Analysis: a February launch is looking highly likely
This isn’t the first time a February launch has been rumored. In fact, this isn’t even the first time that we’ve heard the Samsung Galaxy S23 release date might be in the first week of February, so that timing is looking quite likely.
We’ve got more than just rumors to support this timing too, as with the exception of the Samsung Galaxy S21 series – which was announced in January 2021 – we’ve been seeing new Galaxy S models in February every year for quite a while.
So even without leaks and rumors, a February announcement would have been our best guess. That said, we’re not certain of anything yet, so different timing remains a possibility. But either way we’d think these best phone contenders will be arriving before long.
Not so long ago, Android phones were terrible for updates, with many handsets only getting a couple of new Android releases if they were lucky. But in recent years a lot of brands have been supporting their phones for longer, and now OnePlus is pushing support beyond that of almost any other company.
OnePlus has announced that “select models” of its phones will now get four major Android updates and five years of security patches – figures which match what Samsung is offering on the Galaxy S22 and select other handsets.
That’s up from the company's previous promise of three years of major Android updates and four years of security patches. The company has been frustratingly vague about which phones will actually be eligible for this extended support, but the press release says “on select devices launched in 2023 and beyond”, which sadly suggests it won’t apply to current models like the OnePlus 10 Pro.
Presumably, the OnePlus 11 will be eligible though, and with any luck upcoming mid-range models from the Nord line will be too, but only time will tell.
In the same breath, the company also outlined some of what users can expect from upcoming updates – namely OxygenOS 13.1 and OxygeonOS 14.
The first of those (OxygenOS 13.1) is due in the first half of 2023, and will include a focus on safety and privacy features, with OnePlus mentioning an improved version of its Private Safe function, which is designed to keep data sharing safe and secure.
There’s also a focus on improved digital health and well-being, including accessibility features for users with disabilities. Finally, photo albums are set be improved, and the company claims it will continue focusing on offering a smooth experience.
Talk of OxygenOS 14 was a lot vaguer, but words like fast, smooth, and reliable were thrown around.
Analysis: OnePlus now offers longer-term support than Google, but still trails Apple
With the promise of four major Android updates and five years of security patches, OnePlus has leapfrogged Google which, despite making Android, only promises three years of major OS updates – but matches OnePlus for security patches.
While it’s great to see OnePlus doing this, it also just highlights that Google itself still isn’t doing enough.
And we’d still give the edge to Samsung on the software updates front, since a number of its current phones are promised as many updates as OnePlus is now offering, rather than just non-specific upcoming phones.
Yet there’s still no Android brand that matches Apple for updates. While Apple doesn’t promise a specific number, a lot of iPhones have received five years of software updates and some managed as many as six. And we’re not just talking security updates here – these are major operating system updates of the kind that OnePlus and Samsung only promise four years of.
So, every Android brand has work to do, but this is another step in the right direction from OnePlus, and one more thing that could help the best OnePlus phones rank among the best phones in future.
A recently discovered American trademark application from Samsung suggests it may be expanding its self-repair service and launching a new support app to boot.
The app is called Self Repair Assistant, according to the filing on the United States Patent and Trademark Office website. Its purpose is to provide “consultancy and information services relating to [the] self-installation, self-maintenance, and self-repair…” of various mobile devices. Samsung currently has a partnership with repair company iFixit to provide information and resources to its Self-Repair Program. If this app launches, you will no longer have to go to iFixit’s website to read a guide; it’ll all be through Samsung.
Self Repair Assistant does call into question Samsung’s partnership with iFixit. Nowhere in the application does it mention the repair company as a collaborator. We reached out to iFixit to ask if it will continue working with Samsung on the new app or if it's a solo effort. A company representative got back to us and said the company doesn’t have a comment at this time.
Expansion
The application also reveals smartwatches and earbuds are being considered for the Self Repair Program. So there’s a chance handyman users will be able to repair their Galaxy Buds or Watch 4 devices in the future. At this point, the platform hasn’t changed in the slightest since its launch a few months ago, not even support for the Galaxy S22. It’s still the same three product lines: the Samsung S20 series, the S21 series, and the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus.
A potential phone icon for Self Repair Assistant can be found in the filing, but apart from that, not much else is known about the app. Currently, it's waiting to be examined by the US Patent and Trademark Office; presumably to make sure whatever Samsung is working on meets American regulations.
We also contacted Samsung to see if it could answer our questions about the app and when can people expect support for the S22 phones on the Self-Repair Program. While it’s entirely possible the program could expand, a trademark application is merely an indicator of what might happen; there’s no guarantee of anything. This story will be updated at a later time.
Edge over the competition
Assuming everything in the trademark application comes true, it could give Samsung an advantage over its rival Apple which launched Self-Service Repair back in 2021. People are able to order replacement parts to repair select iPhone and MacBook models; however, the catalog has remained static since. There hasn’t been any word either about expanding to include AirPods or the Apple Watch Ultra, for example.
But if there’s one thing we’d like Samsung and Apple to include in their respective programs is the ability to add a new battery. Over time, smartphone batteries lose their efficacy. In fact, most mobile devices “lose around 20 percent of their original battery capacity” within the first year. Efforts have been made to create a better power supply but who knows if or when we'll see smartphones with radically better batteries and battery life.
If you’re interested in learning how else you can fix your devices, TechRadar has a list of the best repair software for business PCs that you should check out.
Apple’s handsets almost always rank among the best camera phones, but there could be a huge jump in photo quality for the iPhone 15 line, as the latest leak suggests these phones will feature an advanced new sensor.
Word comes from Nikkei Asia (via Apple Insider), in a report that states Sony will supply Apple with a “state-of-the-art” camera sensor, that’s expected to be used in the iPhone 15 series.
So what makes this sensor so good? Well, apparently it “roughly doubles the saturation signal level in each pixel,” allowing it to capture more light, which could be beneficial to low light scenes.
The real highlighted advantage to this though is that it can reduce overexposure and underexposure, which can be particularly problematic when there’s a big difference in lighting between the foreground and background of an image.
The source gives the example of clearly photographing a person’s face even when they’re standing against a strong backlight.
We would, however, take this claim with a pinch of salt, especially as Apple only just upgraded the primary sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max to a new 48MP unit.
It’s not Apple’s style to make such a change two years in a row, so perhaps this new sensor will just be used for the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus – but that would suggest it’s not as good as the current 48MP snapper features on the 14 Pro and Pro Max.
Another option is that if the rumored iPhone 15 Ultra happens, then this sensor could be reserved for that handset, to help it stand out above the iPhone 15 Pro.
Analysis: not the only camera upgrade
If any phones in the iPhone 15 series do have this new Sony sensor then that could make for quite a photographic upgrade, but it probably won’t be the only one, as previous leaks have talked of a periscope camera being added too.
This would allow for the optical zoom distance to be extended from the 3x of current Pro models to likely around 5x but potentially as much as 10x, in line with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
On top of that, the iPhone 15 Ultra and possibly also the iPhone 15 Pro might be able to record 8K video, according to one source.
So in other words we might see big improvements to the wide and telephoto cameras on some iPhone 15 models, as well as to video recording, with only the ultra-wide camera possibly staying the same.
With these phones probably not out until September 2023 we’ve got a long time to wait, but if what we’re hearing is right then the iPhone 15 series is already shaping up to be among the best phones of 2023.
If you're keen on foldable phones but aren't fully convinced by the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, then there should soon be another of these innovative devices available to buy: the Huawei Mate X3 is apparently now ready for mass production and should show up soon.
That's according to tipster Wangzai Knows Everything (via Notebookcheck), and the word is that it will follow the design aesthetic laid down by Samsung quite closely – as well as potentially cost significantly less than its rival.
There may be some compromises along the way, with rumors that the handset will have to make do with 4G rather than 5G. It should come running the latest high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor though.
What we know so far
We don't actually know much at all about what the Huawei Mate X3 is going to bring with it, though some clues might be offered up by what we've previously seen on the Huawei Mate X2, which made its debut in February 2021.
That's nearly two years ago, so the Mate X3 follow up is somewhat overdue at this point. The Mate X2 came with an 8-inch screen for its main display, and carried the Kirin 9000 processor as well as up to 12GB of RAM and a quad-lens rear camera.
Those are premium-level specs and it looks as though the Mate X3 will continue that trend, apart from, perhaps, the absence of 5G connectivity. Based on the new leak, the phone might appear at some point in the first half of 2023.
Analysis: more competition please
While we really like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and indeed the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, we would also like to see a few more options out there for consumers who want to pick up a foldable phone without having to part with a significant chunk of their savings.
There are of course decent alternatives out there already – like the Motorola Razr and the Xiaomi Mix Fold – but no one else seems to be prepared to invest quite so much into the future of foldables as Samsung are at the moment.
The Huawei Mate X3 could well go some way to giving Samsung more to contend with in the foldables space, but Huawei needs to improve in terms of its international distribution. The Mate X2 isn't easy to get if you live outside of China.
We're hoping that the foldable iPhone and the Pixel Fold show up sooner rather than later, which will go a long way to improve the choice available. There's a good chance that both of these high-profile handsets will make an appearance in 2023.
Cyber Monday is winding down, which means it's your last chance to snatch up some great deals before the holidays properly roll in. Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and all the major retailers have their Cyber Monday sales right now, and we're bringing you all the latest news and discounts from across the US, plus expert tips and tricks for bagging the biggest bargains on the products you want.
If you're just looking for a list of the very best offers, head over to our best Cyber Monday deals page – we're busy keeping that up-to-date with the latest discounts on everything from air fryers and TVs to toys, home, and beauty items. Otherwise, stick with us and follow the action here as it happens.
TechRadar's deal editors are running this Cyber Monday deals live blog, with help from writers across the team. Right now, you've got Hamish Hector, one of our staff writers, at the helm.
So far, we haven't seen any dramatic price drops today. A few coffee makers are now cheaper; otherwise, the deals themselves are largely the same as those we've seen all week.
We'll continue to bring you the best Cyber Monday deals live as we find them, with particular emphasis on the best-performing products we've tested. Sometimes we'll also highlight great deals for interesting products that we haven't tested yet (we'll say if that's the case).
Good morning all! We're kicking off our Cyber Monday deals coverage for 2022 a little earlier this year, giving plenty of time to find any highlights - and post a couple of our favorite holdouts from yesterday's sale.
Get Sony's five-star earbuds for the lowest price ever
The excellent Sony WF-1000XM4 true wireless earbuds are on sale at Amazon as part of the retailer's early Cyber Monday sale - for the lowest price we've ever seen.
We awarded these top-tier, class-A Sony buds the full five stars in our Sony WF-1000XM4 review. They deliver stunning sound quality, strong active noise cancellation and a solid eight hours of battery life.
If you’re looking for a deal on some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds ahead of Cyber Monday, then we don't expect this price to be beaten on the day itself. Snatch them up while you can.
Sony WF-1000XM4: was $279.99 now $178 at Amazon Cyber Monday offers like this don't come along very often. We briefly saw them dip to $198, but this is a whole $20 cheaper than we've ever seen them. Sony's immersive LDAC, excellent ANC, eight hours of battery life from just the earbuds and stunning five-star sound quality all for $100 off the RRP? We'll take it. View Deal
If you're in the market for a MacBook Air, you're in luck: the 13-inch M1 model from 2022 plummeted in price to just $799 a few days ago and it's still looking like this amazing $200 deal is sticking around for Cyber Monday. For the record, this is the lowest price yet on this fantastic ultrabook.
Even though the 2020 model has been superseded by the more powerful (and more expensive) new MacBook Air M2 (2022), it still sits at number three in our best laptops guide.
We gave it 4.5/5 stars in our Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) review: its performance is incredible thanks to the powerful M1 chip, and the battery life is excellent. It's easily the best value laptop money can buy right now, and a great choice for work or school. It's also great for watching movies.
MacBook Air M1 (256GB): was $999now $799 at Amazon We very rarely see the MacBook Air this low so now is the time to buy if you're interested in the excellent Apple laptop. It equals the record-low we've seen in previous years. This top-of-the-line device features Apple's powerful M1 chip and premium chassis – and sits as TechRadar's best value-for-money pick in our best laptop guide.View Deal
Super-low Nintendo Switch OLED bundle alert - but not at Amazon
This one isn't in the Amazon Cyber Monday sale, but we think it's too good to miss...
If you have a Nintendo Switch already and know you mostly play in handheld mode, or you think that's how you'll use it if you buy one, the Nintendo Switch OLED is an upgrade that's well worth considering. Its larger, brighter screen is a marked improvement over the original Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite.
The console itself is going for the historic low price of $349 at Amazon, but this bundle deal at Dell is excellent value if you're looking to set yourself up with some games and accessories. For $399.99 you can get the console, a third-party Switchplate controller and a copy of Splatoon 3 - one of the best first-party games on the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo Switch OLED + Splatoon 3 + controller:was $439.99now $399.99 at Dell Save $40 - This is an excellent deal for the flagship Nintendo console. Considering the bonuses of Splatoon 3 and a Switch plate controller, you don't want to miss this discount. View Deal
We're in the awkward period right now between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with some retailers - notably Amazon - having already switched their headline banners over to the latter sale. Basically, the vast majority of deals that are available today are holdouts from the earlier sale, which is generally what we expect these days.
Over the past few years, we've seen these big seasonal one-day sales transform into a kind of 'deals season', so generally speaking, there are a lot of similar promotions going on. That's not to say the deals are bad, however, most of the listings we've found are still at their lowest prices all year - or at least matching their lowest prices.
Take the MacBook Air M1 we just posted below as an example, which is currently $799 at Amazon. This model is generally found at prices ranging from $899 to $929 at Amazon, and it's been on sale for $799 a couple of times in the last month. Those holding out for a 'record-breaking' price may be disappointed with this one but it's still a very strong deal overall.
5 popular deals at Amazon yesterday - that you can still get now
Following on from my previous post - Amazon's Cyber Monday deals are...very similar to its Black Friday deals. That's to be expected though: most retailers will be rolling their existing deals into their Cyber weekend sales over the next few days.
These five deals are all ones we either first noticed yesterday or during the week before. But they're all great value, so they're definitely worth checking out.
Toloco Massage Gun: was$259.99 now $69.99 at Amazon This top-rated massage gun has a massive 73% discount in Amazon's Cyber Monday sale: it's down to $65.57 from $259.99. The Toloco massage gun features 20 different speed levels and 15 replaceable massage heads to relieve pain on all parts of your body and has over 31,000 positive reviews on Amazon. It's one of the most popular deals from Friday.View Deal
National Tree Company Pre-Lit 6.5-feet Christmas Tree: was $399.99 now $214.99 at Amazon If you haven't picked out your Christmas Tree this year, Amazon's Cyber Monday sale is offering a massive $184.20 discount on this 6.5-foot artificial tree. The top-rated Dunhill Fir Full is pre-lit with 650 white lights that remain lit even when a bulb goes out. Plus, if you use ALEXATREE at checkout, you get a free Amazon smart plug and Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) with your purchase (just make sure all the items are in your cart).View Deal
Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hair Dryer/Brush: was $69.99 now $25.24 at Amazon Another hot item from the last few days - Amazon has the best-selling Revlon One-Step hair dryer on sale for a record-low price of $25.24. Thanks to the unique oval brush design, the hairdryer delivers a salon-like blowout with brilliant shine and extra volume.View Deal
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation): was $249 now $199.99 at Amazon This one's worth paying attention to as well: Apple's best-selling AirPods Pro 2 are still on sale for $199.99 - a new record-low price. Apple's all-new earbuds include improved audio quality and noise cancellation and include a wireless charging case that provides more than 24 hours of battery life. View Deal
Oculus Quest 2 (128 GB) Black Friday bundle: was $469.99 now $349.99 at Amazon If you've been after an Oculus Quest 2, this is the perfect time to pick one up. In our four-and-a-half-star review we commended the Quest 2's solid specs and easy-to-use nature, plus there are some great games on the platform (which this bundle includes two of: Beat Saber and Resident Evil 4 VR).View Deal
Is the cheapest TV on Amazon worth buying?
Amazon's Cyber Monday TV deals seem to get cheaper and cheaper every year, so much so that, incredibly, you can now buy a smart display for under $100. It's true that at this price you tend to see the real budget models or own-brand displays, but we're always surprised by how cheap the retailer offers them over Cyber Monday.
Take this one, for example:
Insignia 24-inch F20 Series HD Smart Fire TV (2022): $89.99 $79.99 at Amazon This 24-inch Insignia set is on sale for a record-low price of just $79.99, and it's the cheapest Cyber Monday TV deal we've spotted so far. While the Insignia F20-Series display lacks 4K capabilities, the HD TV does include smart features with the Fire operating system and hands-free control with Amazon Alexa. You can also get a larger 32-inch model for just $99 right now.View Deal
We haven't reviewed it here at TechRadar, but we can give you our honest opinion, based on the fact that we review dozens of TVs every year.
So, yeah, it's 24 inches, which is tiny in comparison to most common TV sizes today (it's more like a computer monitor). That said, it has got some surprisingly good features for the money.
The biggest positive of this display is that it has Amazon Fire TV built right in, so you don't have to pair it up with a Fire TV Stick or equivalent to get full access to all the best streaming services or compatibility with Echo devices. It'll basically work right out of the box and get you streaming Amazon Video or Netflix in no time - and it's small enough to fit on nearly any desk or tabletop.
What we don't like is the 720p resolution. For a display in 2022 - even one that's 24 inches - that's lacklustre. The 32-inch version for $99 features this same 720p resolution, too, which will look even worse on a slightly bigger screen size.
Based on that, if you can afford it, we'd recommend opting for a slightly bigger display like this one.
Amazon Fire TV 43-inch 4-Series 4K smart TV: $369.99 $209.99 at Amazon Get the all-new Amazon 43-inch Fire TV on sale for just $209.99 - the cheapest price we've ever seen. This budget Cyber Monday TV deal includes the Fire TV experience for easy streaming and includes a handy voice remote so you can control your TV completely hands-free.View Deal
This 43-inch Amazon-branded display has the same handy Fire-TV smart features as the cheapo Insignia but has a much, much improved 4K resolution. It also supports HDR 10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Plus for an improved picture quality overall.
Should you buy the MacBook Air M1 (2020) - or the newer M2 (2022)?
The MacBook Air (M2, 2022) has a fantastic design, bigger screen and incredibly long battery life, but also a much higher price tag. Think of it more as a replacement for the 13-inch MacBook Pro, and it starts to make a lot more sense. Read more:MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review
For
Great new design
Upgraded performance
Long battery life
Larger, brighter screen
Against
Much more expensive
Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
The MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is phenomenal value for money, which makes it incredibly tempting. It's no slouch in the performance stakes, although if you're looking to do heavy graphics editing and multitasking go for the M2. Read more: MacBook Air (M2, 2020) review
For
Excellent value for money
Great all-around performer
Good battery life
Silent in use
Against
Not as powerful
The 13-inch MacBook Air (M1, 2020) has returned to its lowest-ever price. There's no question that it's incredible value for money, but it's no longer the newest model. So: should you buy the newer and more powerful MacBook Air (M2, 2022), or the better-value and still excellent MacBook Air (M1, 2020)?
It's a tricky choice, which is a testament to just how good the older laptop is.
The MacBook Air (M2, 2022) brings some big changes, both inside, with the new M2 chip, and on the outside, with a radical redesign. If you want a modern experience and upgraded performance, it's the way to go. The new design is great, it’s more portable, and the screen is a big step up. The M2 could also prove to be a big upgrade.
However, the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is a lot cheaper, which makes it incredibly tempting. If you don’t want to spend a fortune on a laptop, choose this one, as it offers excellent value for money, while also being a great all-around performer. And that's true even more so today, now that the MacBook Air M1 is down to its lowest price ever at Amazon.
So far we've mostly rounded up pricey buys on tech, but it's well worth checking out Amazon's excellent 'under $25' Cyber Monday section if you're still on the hunt for some gifts this holiday season.
Under $25 at Amazon: toys, tech, kitchen gadgets, gifts ideas, and more If you're looking to spend no more than $25, Amazon has a wide range of cheap products, including toys, tech gadgets, kitchen tools, clothing, beauty, and more. It's a great place to look if you need a fun secret Santa gift or stocking stuffers for the whole family. View Deal
Wouldn't life be boring if every ear you saw had an ice-white Apple stem hanging out of it?
Maybe you want the portable, wire-free music experience but you don't want to follow the herd. Maybe you prefer a slightly more vintage aesthetic – albeit one benefitting from all of the latest wireless Bluetooth technology.
We get it. Marshall (or, to give the company its full moniker, Marshall Amplification) does too, for it is a gloriously rock-steady UK audio outfit founded in 1962 by Jim Marshall.
Every Marshall product somehow looks like a guitar amp, even when it's a set of tiny earbuds. And that is what we have here, as well as a stunning pair of wireless on-ears, both discounted for Black Friday and both as cheap as we've ever seen them.
Marshall Minor III earbuds: was $129.99 now $99.99 at Amazon They're back down to their lowest-seen price! If you want an AirPods-y design but more beautiful than AirPods (just look at that rubberised snake-skin effect case!) you might have just found them. We haven't reviewed this particular set of true wireless buds from Marshall, but you're getting 12mm drivers, Bluetooth 5.2, a 25-hour total battery life and on-ear touch controls – all of which are bang on for this money. No ANC, but for this price we don't mind. View Deal
Marshall Major IV wireless headphones: was $149.99 now $99.99 at Amazon Not a model we've tested, but they launched in October 2020 boasting an incredible (incredible!) 80-hour wireless battery life and we absolutely love the styling. And in case you're worried (given the retro aesthetic), no, they do charge via USB-C, and you also get a 3.5mm cable in the box. No ANC, but you do get Marshall's iconic gold-tone multi-directional knob for all on-ear playback and volume controls. Road trip coming up in the new year? This is the lowest we've seen them and, we think, a very tempting proposition.View Deal
Amazon's excellent Braun Series 9 Pro deal has rolled over from Black Friday into Cyber Monday, meaning you can still pick up the German brand's best-ever electric shaver for the handsome price of $259 (down from $330). That's 21% less than usual, and just $10 shy of being Amazon's best-ever price.
I'm in the process of reviewing the Series 9 Pro for TechRadar's best electric razors and beard trimmers guide, and honestly, my biggest gripe so far concerns its typically astronomical retail price. Black Friday weekend, though, has made that figure much, much more reasonable, meaning the Series 9 Pro is an easier recommendation than ever right now. If you're keen to upgrade your shaving game in 2022, now is absolutely the time to do so.
Braun Series 9 Pro Electric Shaver with SmartCare Cleaning Center: was $329.99 now $260 at Amazon You can pick up the black or silver version of the Series 9 Pro for 21% less at Amazon in the US right now. For $260, you'll get Braun's best-in-class shaver, a 5-in-1 cleaning centre and a travel charge case. The German brand claims that the Series 9 Pro will last you seven years – what's $260 for almost a decade's worth of use?View Deal
5 cracking Keurig coffee maker deals
Almost all of Amazon's Black Friday Keurig coffee maker deals have been repackaged as Cyber Monday deals for the weekend, meaning you can still bag best-selling models including the K-Mini, K- Slim, K-Classic, K-Supreme and K-Elite for exceptionally low prices.
We don't anticipate seeing any of the below deals improving as we approach Cyber Monday proper, so our advice is to act now if you're keen to upgrade your coffee-making hardware to one of Keurig's popular machines.
Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker: was $100 now $49.99 at Amazon Like the Keurig K-Slim, the K-Mini coffee maker is designed for those with limited space (or a smaller budget). It's less than five inches wide, so can easily fit on small counter tops, and can still brew any cup size between 6 to 12 ounces. However, unlike the Slim, the K-Mini only features a one-cup reservoir, so you'll need to add water for each brew. $50 is just $2 shy of Amazon's lowest-ever price.View Deal
Keurig K-Slim Coffee Maker: was $130 now $79.99 at Amazon If space is an issue on your kitchen top, consider Keurig's K-Slim machine. It's a lot thinner than your average coffee maker, but can still serve up to 12 oz of liquid at a time. It's a great choice if you want something practical but with a small footprint. Keurig itself dropped the K- Slim down to $75 last Black Friday, so this $80 deal at Amazon is almost as good.View Deal
Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker: was $150 now $99.99 at Amazon The perfect all-around coffee maker for a family kitchen, the Keurig K-Classic is a great option if you're looking for something with a large reservoir and quick brew time, but don't want to completely break the bank. Amazon knocked $50 off its list price last Black Friday, but has had the K-Classic as low as $45 in years prior. For our money, though, under $100 for this model is still a stellar deal. View Deal
Keurig K-Supreme Coffee Maker: was $160 now $99.99 at Amazon Keurig's K-Supreme coffee maker is 38% off at Amazon right now, which is just $20 shy of its lowest-ever price. This model boasts the brand's MultiStream brewing technology to better saturate coffee grounds, and its 66 oz reservoir can be positioned on either side of the machine. The only difference between the K-Supreme and its Plus sibling– which is also on sale at Amazon – is that the latter gets programmable brew strength and temperature settings.View Deal
Keurig K-Elite Coffee Maker: was $190 now $119.99 at Amazon Fan of iced coffees? The K-Elite can handle those. It's also capable of producing hot water on-demand should you need it – making the K-Elite perfect for oatmeal or tea. This model features QuietBrew technology to reduce noise, as well as notifications for descaling. $120 is just $20 short of Amazon's lowest-ever price, which came back in July, and we don't anticipate seeing this deal get much better.View Deal
This one-time best-in-class cordless vacuum is selling fast, mind you – at the time of writing, Amazon only has 20 models left in stock. Go, go, go!
Dyson Cyclone V10: was $699.99 now $538 at Amazon This big, copper-colored cleaning machine may have gotten a bigger sale this time last year, but Amazon's current £140 discount is still more-than-reasonable. The Cyclone is worth considering for its cleaning ability, relatively long battery life and multiple attachments – it earned an excellent 4.5 stars in our review. View Deal
Is this Amazon Oculus Quest bundle any good?
Obviously not every Cyber Monday deal is quite as good as it first looks, so we can forgive anyone who looks at this Oculus Quest 2 bundle deal with a degree of cynicism. But in this case, we think it's a genuinely great offer.
For starters, Meta increased the price of the Quest 2 by $399 just a few months. That was a massive jump from of $100 from its previous price of $299, so a 33% rise.
A $50 saving over the newly increased price is certainly worth having, but where this deal really earns its corn is in the fact that it also come with two games. So, not only are you getting one of the best VR headsets, but those bundled games take the overall value way up. Overall, it more than makes up for the price rise.
Both games are pretty good, too; Beat Saber takes the rhythm game in a fun and exciting new direction, while Resident Evil 4 VR is a seminal survival horror game.
Oculus Quest 2 (128 GB) Bundle: was $469.99now $349.99 at Amazon If you've been after an Oculus Quest 2, this is the perfect time to pick one up. In our four-and-a-half-star review we commended the Quest 2's solid specs and easy-to-use nature. Plus, there are some great games on the platform and this bundle includes two of them: Beat Saber and Resident Evil 4 VR.View Deal
Should you buy the Kobo Libra 2 or Amazon Kindle Paperwhite?
The Kobo Libra 2 is the best all-round ereader there is. It has far more storage than the Kindle Paperweight, Bluetooth support for audiobooks, and is packed with useful features the Kindle doesn't have, such as OverDrive support to let you borrow library books. If you're looking for the most value for money, this is it.
The Kindle Paperwhite offers a very comfortable reading experience, with a clear display that's easy to look at. It beats the Kobo Libra 2 on battery life (10 weeks versus six), but it's more complicated to upload books that haven't come from the Amazon store and falls short on features in comparison.
For
Large and clear display
Faster USB-C charging
Reading experience
Against
Limited to Amazon’s store
Choosing the best ereader isn't easy. Do you go for the market leader, Amazon’s Kindle, and if so, what’s the best Kindle? Or do you try a different brand, like Kobo (which has also been around a long time, since 2010)?
Both are at their lowest price ever today in the Amazon Black Friday sale. Both have front lights, both are waterproof and both have a ‘dark mode’.
However, the Libra 2 is good value with no confusing options, more storage by default and a better ergonomic design. It’s also got a very slightly larger display. we gave it a full five stars in our Kobo Libra 2 review.
The Paperwhite, meanwhile, costs more and lacks page-turn buttons, but it has a glass front and a faster processor. And if you go for the more expensive Paperwhite Signature Edition ($129 down from $189.99 at Amazon) you’ll also get wireless charging and an auto-adjusting display. We gave it 4.5/5 in our review.
For us, the winner is the Kobo Libra 2. Newer models from other brands have arrived since its launch, but it's a a fantastic all-around champion that still holds strong to its place as our #1 choice of ereader.
No, this one's not an Amazon deal - but we still wanted to mention it.
Lenovo knows a thing or two about making productivity laptops and we're big fans of its Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon series. The latest Gen 10 model is a stellar professional laptop for Windows fans - and even better, it's $1,289 down from $2,879 on Lenovo's website.
Bonus: it's available in a variety of configurations, all heavily discounted, with the biggest reduction on the high-end $4,169 model, which has had a staggering $2,255.43 slashed off the retail price to bring it down to $1,913.57.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10: was $2,879 now $1,289 at Lenovo You can save a whopping $1,590 on this premium productivity laptop this Cyber Monday weekend. The Gen 10 version of Lenovo's ever-popular ThinkPad X1 Carbon series packs an ultrafast 12th-gen Intel Core processor along with 16GB of RAM and a bright, colorful display with a 16:10 aspect ratio - perfect for fitting more on your screen when browsing the web.View Deal
3 of the best air fryer deals
Air fryers were (once again) in great demand over Black Friday, and we're pretty sure Cyber Monday will see plenty of great discounts.
In fact, there are still lots of deals available on products from the likes of Ninja and Instant. Here are three of our favorites.
Proscenic T21 Air Fryer: was $129.99, now $79 at Amazon When we reviewed the Proscenic T21, we appreciated the fact that we could use an app on our smartphone to control it. It helps that it's easy to clean as well. So, if you’re in the market for an air fryer that’s especially easy to use, you’ll be please to know that the T21 is discounted $50 for its lowest price ever of $79.View Deal
Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer Oven: was $169.99, now $99.95 at Amazon This air fryer has had the biggest Black Friday Instant Pot deal ever on Amazon, dropping $70 in price, which is over 40% off the sticker price. That’s a great deal for this 4.5 out of 5-rated air fryer which comes with a display window, six different functions, and Instant’s EvenCrisp technology for even cooking. The deal is still live ahead of Cyber Monday.View Deal
Ninja AF101 Air Fryer: was $129.99 now $99.95 at Amazon Amazon has this best-selling Ninja model on sale for $89, giving you a nice 23% discount. The four-quart air fryer has over 39,000 positive reviews on Amazon and can not only air fry but crisp, roast, reheat, and dehydrates food for quick and easy meals.View Deal
Amazon device deals are still live
Amazon always cuts the price of its own devices for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and this year's deals are pretty good.
Both the 3rd and 5th Gen Echo Dots are down to record lows (admittedly the 5th Gen only released fairly recently), ditto for the Fire TV Stick Lite and 4K, and likewise for several Fire tablets, Kindles and Ring doorbells. We've included our nine favorites below.
Echo Dot (3rd Gen) Smart Speaker:was $49.99now $14.99 at Amazon This early black Friday deal from Amazon slashes the best-selling Echo Dot to just $14.99 - the lowest price we've ever seen. The best-selling smart speaker can play music, answer questions, check the weather and control your new smart bulb - all for under $15.View Deal
Echo Dot (5th generation):was $49.99 now $24.99 at Amazon Amazon's latest Echo Dot is on sale for $24.99 for Black Friday - a massive 50% discount, and the first price cut the smart home speaker has received. With Amazon Alexa on board, the Amazon Echo Dot allows you to control your smart home setup, play music or podcasts, or simply ask for the forecast.View Deal
Fire TV Stick Lite with Alexa Voice Remote: was $29.99 now $14.99 at Amazon A great stocking stuffer idea, Amazon has the all-new Fire TV Stick Lite on sale for just $14.99 - the lowest price we've ever seen. The budget streaming player allows you to enjoy tens of thousands of channels, apps, and Alexa skills and features an Alexa voice remote.View Deal
Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote: was $49.99now $24.99 at Amazon If you're looking to stream your content in 4K resolution, Amazon has a massive 50% discount on the Fire TV Stick 4K which brings the price down to a record-low of $24.99. The best-selling Fire Stick allows you to stream your favorite content in 4K Ultra HD resolution with support for Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+, and Amazon Alexa for hands-free control.View Deal
Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet (2021): was $149.99now $74.99 at Amazon Amazon's Black Friday sale has the 2021 Fire HD 10 tablet on sale for a record-low price of $74.99. The 10-inch tablet packs a powerful octa-core processor and 50% more RAM than the previous generation. The tablet also works with Amazon Alexa and provides an impressive 12 hours of battery life.View Deal
Amazon Fire 7 tablet (16GB): was $49.99now $39.99 at Amazon The cheapest Fire tablet deal, Amazon's Black Friday device deals include the 2022 Fire 7 on sale for just $39.99 - a new record-low. The best-selling tablet features a seven-inch display, 16GB of RAM, and up to seven hours of battery life.View Deal
Kindle Paperwhite: was$149.99now $99.99 at Amazon The 2022 Kindle Paperwhite is on my Christmas wish list and Amazon is offering a first-time $50 discount on the e-reader, bringing the price down to a record low of $99.99. The waterproof Kindle features a six-inch glare-free display and provides a single battery charge that lasts for weeks.View Deal
Amazon Echo Show 10: was$249.99now $169.99 at Amazon If you want to get your hands on Amazon's latest and greatest smart display, today's early Black Friday deal drops the Echo Show 10 to a record-low price of $169.99. The 10-inch smart display features an automatic screen rotation, Zigbee smart home support, and a 13MP camera.View Deal
Ring Video Doorbell Pro: was$169.99now $99.99 at Amazon Amazon's early Black Friday deals just dropped the best-selling Ring Video Doorbell Pro on sale for $99.99 - the lowest price we've ever seen. The Ring Pro features advanced motion detection and works with Amazon Alexa to send alerts to your Echo devices.View Deal
Instant Pots still hot
We know a lot of the holiday buying heat now revolves around Air Fryers, but Instant Pots remain an excellent gift-giving choice. They're easily as versatile as Air Fryers just without all the excitement of oil-free-crisping.
The other thing worth noting is that Black Friday Deals keep on rolling right into Cyber Monday. These two Instant Pot options are not officially listed as Cyber Monday deals on Amazon, but they certainly are Cyber Weekend ones.
There's the classic 10-in-1 model for just $99.99 and an Instant Pot with, you guessed it, air fryer capabilities for $169.95. They're both solid deals that might be around through Monday or could evaporate at any minute. You might have to move fast.
Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1 Pressure Cooker: was $169.99 now $99.95 at Amazon Instant Pots are always Black Friday best-sellers and Amazon's early Black Friday sale has the Instant Pot Pro on sale for $99.95 - Just $20 more than the record-low. The six-quart pressure cooker features 10 appliances in one, including; slow cook, sous vide, sauté pan, rice, sterilizer, yogurt maker, food warmer, cake baker, and steamerView Deal
Instant Pot Pro Crisp 8qt: was $269.99 now $169.95 at Amazon What's better than an Instant Pot multi-cooker? Well, one that also has air fryer capabilities, of course. Getting a lofty 4.5 out of 5 star rating in our Instant Pot Pro Crisp review, this is definitely a must get for every kitchen, especially those that have limited space. The 8-quart model is $100 off right now.View Deal
Don't Blink
Earlier tonight we had our first "ring and run" in ages. Some teenagers scrambled to our front door, knocked, and then dashed off. We missed them, but our video doorbell did not.
It's hard to put a price on home security and knowing what's happening outside the front of your home when you're not there, or knowing who is standing there and knocking on your door (or running away). People still do silly things at other people's front doors but now we have a record because of all these video doorbells.
This Blink Video Doorbell, which has a motion detector and a camera, was on sale for Black Friday and Amazon is letting the good times toll with the $34.99 sale (was $49.99) still in place and now listed as a Cyber Monday Deal.
One nice thing about this model is that it can be wire-free (battery-operated), which makes for super-easy installation. You can hook it up to existing wiring if you want.
Blink Video Doorbell: was $49.99 now $34.99 at Amazon Get the top-rated Blink Video Doorbell on sale for just $34.99 in today's early Black Friday deals - the lowest price we've ever seen. The Blink doorbell alerts you when motion is detected and features infrared night video and two-way audio.View Deal
The Dyson Airwrap must be a lot more popular than it looks on paper, seeing as the only proper discount you could get this Black Friday-Cyber Monday season is a 20% deal if you were a past Dyson customer. If you haven't bought a Dyson product at their online store before, the only "deal" you could get is a "free accessories" one if you pay full price.
And that, we're sorry to say, isn't likely going to change this weekend or on Cyber Monday. Not that we're not still holding on hope. Crazier things have happened.
If you're just tired of waiting, however, lots of hair-styling consumers are turning to Dyson Airwrap dupes (and lots of fashion and lifestyle magazines are recommending the same). They're much less expensive – some under $50; they're just as effective; and best of all, they're already on sale for Cyber Monday.
You could wait until November 28 for that deal that might never come, or you could take advantage of these Cyber Monday Dyson Airwrap dupe deals now and save yourself the disappointment.
Revlon One-Step Volumizer: was $39.87now$25.24 at Amazon Dyson Airwrap Cyber Monday deals are hard to find at the moment, so if you want a bargain you might want to consider getting a dupe. This model is at a record-low price at Amazon, offering you 30% off.View Deal
Mayloa Hair Dryer Brush: was $55.99 now $29.99 at Amazon If you do not want to spend $499.99 on the original and are looking for something cheap, this dupe from Mayloa is now under $30. It's got a 4 out of 5 rating on Amazon, with verified users praising it for its drying power and lightweight design. It looks very much like the Revlon One-Step Volumizer, however. So, if you can find that one, consider it first.View Deal
T3 AireBrush Duo: was $189.99 now $142.49 at Amazon Take a hefty 25% off this Dyson Airwrap dupe from T3, giving you $47.50 in savings for Cyber Monday. This blow dry brush uses IonFlow technology and offers 15 heat and speed combinations – not to mention, two brushes. This one's a little pricier than other dupes, but it's definitely cheaper than the original.View Deal
Caffeinating the country, one Nespresso machine at a time
Nespresso machines are taking over households all over the US. They are among the most popular appliances to buy this sale season, and Cyber Monday Nespresso deals continue to pop up.
Though I'm more of a French press (and Jot coffee, when I'm in a hurry) coffee addict, I've used my share of Nespresso coffee makers, and I totally get the appeal. They're a convenient way of getting your caffeine fix in the morning and chasing away that 2pm slump.
If you're thinking of joining the Nespresso revolution or gifting a machine for the holidays, I found the best early Cyber Monday deals below. (Just please be sure to take advantage of that Nespresso recycling program when you get yours.)
Nespresso Vertuo Evoluo Coffee and Espresso Machine by De'Longhi: was $219.00now$153.30 at Amazon The Evoluo variant of Nespresso's Vertuo machine boasts a 26% bigger water reservoir than the Next, a larger body size, a more powerful heating element and a larger used capsule capacity. This is the beefiest bit of kit in the Vertuo lineup, and we don't expect to see its price drop too much more (if at all) this Cyber Monday. View Deal
Nespresso Pixie Espresso Machine by Breville: was $229.95now$163.95 at Amazon Nespresso's barista-grade espresso maker, the Pixie, is almost identical to the Nespresso Inissia, save for its aluminum casing and flashing reservoir light. Amazon has knocked a whopping $68 off the list price of this Breville variant to bring its price down to $163. Cyber Monday coffee maker deals don't get much better than this.View Deal
Nespresso Vertuo Next Premium with Aeroccino3 by Breville: was $219.95now$167.96 at Amazon The Nespresso Vertuo Next Premium boasts the same aesthetic features as the Vertuo Next Deluxe (metal cup support, chrome colour accents etc.) but swaps its steel pourer for a plastic one. That's a worse deal, right? Sure, but this particular Amazon bundle throws in an Aeroccino3 milk frother, which delivers hot or cold milk froth with one touch.View Deal
As TR's resident active person, I've been keeping a close eye on the Cyber Monday Garmin deals and Cyber Monday Fitbit deals as they've been happening over the weekend. Many have come and gone, but there are still a few excellent buys waiting for people at either end of their fitness journey.
If you're just thinking about buying your first fitness watch to help you take running a little more seriously, a Garmin is a great shout, thanks to its accurate multi-band built-in GPS and its ability to tell you information about your distance, speed, heart rate, and more. Where on your route were you slowest? What's your average stride length? What's the best five-kilometer, completely circular route to take me to and from my door? A Garmin can help.
Right now, the excellent entry-level Garmin Forerunner 45 is just $118.99 at Amazon, a better buy than most Fitbits at this price. For more experienced runners and adventurers, we've got something for you too: last year's awesome Garmin Fenix 6X Sapphire with its price cut by a massive $280.
Garmin Forerunner 45 running watch: was $169.99 now $118.00 at Amazon At this price, this cheap Garmin watch is a much better buy than a fitness tracker. Great health metrics and integrated GPS, GLONASS and Galileo satellite positioning systems make this a thrifty runner's best friend, with training plans all the way to half-marathon level. View Deal
Garmin Fenix 6X Sapphire:was $749.99 now $470.03 at Amazon The sublime Garmin Fenix 6X Sapphire is an almost perfect fitness watch, rated 4.5 stars out of 5 in our review. Its high price was one of its only negatives, but now you've got a nearly $300 discount on this incredible adventure watch, what's not to love? View Deal
The Cyber Monday electric toothbrush deals are here, and there's loads of good stuff on offer from handsets affordable and expensive. If you've not made the switch from a manual brush, now's a good time to do so, as research suggests powered toothbrushes are more effective at reducing instances of plaque and gingivitis than a manual toothbrush.
However, the best deals for our money are on the ludicrous Oral-B iO Series. With multi-directional brush vibration and smart gyroscopes incorporated into the handsets, these toothbrushes encourage you to open your phone so it can show you in real-time, with a heat-map of your mouth, whether you're doing an effective enough job brushing your teeth.
The iO Series 9 is discounted heavily to $249.99 at Amazon, and is even bundled with three replacement brush heads which are usually sold separately. If you replace your brush head every three months, that's a full year of clean teeth. We've also linked our favorite Waterpik deal below, so you can have fun firing streams of water between your teeth in the mornings and use less disposable floss.
Oral-B iO Series 9 Electric Toothbrush with 3 Replacement Brush Heads: was $329.99 now $249.99 at Amazon One of Oral-B's top brushes got four and a half stars in our review, with points off for the high price keeping it from earning that elusive extra half-star. Now the price has come down in line with other premium brushes, it's well worth getting this smart Bluetooth handset if you can afford it.View Deal
Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser White: was $69.99 Now $44.99 at Best Buy
Good money off this Waterpik jet flosser, which uses squirts of water pumped from the reservoir and out the brush-head to dislodge food, just like flossing does. 10 pressure settings and six brush heads ensure you don't damage your gums like disposable floss.View Deal
Even though there's a day to go until Cyber Monday is officially here, we're still inundated with deals on Sunday.
Amazon continues to lead the way following the launch of its Cyber Monday sale immediately after the conclusion of Black Friday. We've had a snoop around the site this morning but haven't spotted anything especially new just yet - but you can be sure there's more to come from tomorrow.
There have been a few price changes here or there on some products, though. We've seen a few extra discounts this morning so it looks like the deals are ramping up again, ready to launch into Cyber Monday strong. All the best ones we'll share right here over the next few hours.
Out of stock messages are popping up more frequently in other areas, too, though. Once again, it's the popular and affordable Amazon devices that are most affected by this, with the Echo Show 5 and Echo Dot unavailable at some stores. We'd suggest if there's an offer you like the look of today you bag it now to avoid missing out.
If you’ve been looking to upgrade to a current-gen console then now’s the time to pick up the Xbox Series S while it's discounted over Cyber Monday.
The Xbox Series S has fallen to its lowest price at Amazon and is now $239.99 for the holidays.
The Xbox Series S is easy to see as merely a less powerful version of the Xbox Series X. And while that's technically true, that doesn't mean the Xbox Series S isn't without its benefits.
For one, it's much smaller than the monolithic Series X, meaning it's much easier to slot into a space-tight home setup. The Xbox Series S is also a very capable console. Support for up to 1440p at 120fps means that compatible games look sharp and run smoothly. All Xbox games play on both consoles, too, so consider pairing it with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to get access to a library of new and old games.
Xbox Series S: was $299.99now $239.99 at Amazon The Xbox Series S might be the less powerful of Microsoft's current-gen systems, but it's still no slouch. Its lightning-quick 512GB SSD means your games load remarkably fast. The console also supports high-end features like VRR for more stable and consistent performance, and pairs excellently with a 1440p display.View Deal
The M1 MacBook Air remains the best Cyber Monday deal I've found
Throughout the weekend (and long before, to be honest), I've been keeping an eye on all manner of Cyber Monday deals, especially when it comes to laptops, and by far the best deal I've found is for the M1 MacBook Air, which is just $765.11 from Amazon. This is for a refurbished model, but having bought refurbished devices in the past, I heartily recommend it, as they are great ways to save money. From trustworthy retailers, refurbished devices are thoroughly tested to make sure they work perfectly, and they come with a warranty as well.
The M1 MacBook Air remains one of the best laptops you can buy right now, I actually prefer it to the newer M2 MacBook Air, if only because it represents such good value for money - especially with this epic deal.
MacBook Air (M1, 2020):was $999 now $765.11 at Amazon
With this MacBook Air deal, you're getting the best laptop in the world for just $765.11, which is one of the best prices we've seen. If you want a thin and light laptop, this is the one to get, but unlike the UK model, it comes with a smaller 128GB SSD and is refurbished.View Deal
Of course, when it comes to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period, TVs are often at the top of many people's shopping lists. This year has seen some brilliant deals - in fact, I treated myself to an LG OLED TV myself, as I'd been meaning to upgrade for a while.
With OLED sets, you're getting absolutely stunning image quality, especially when it comes to contrast ratio, and with support for Dolby Vision HDR, as well as Nvidia G-Sync for when I play my PC, I do wonder what took me so long to make the leap.
If you're thinking of going OLED, then here's some great deals we've found:
Vizio 65-inch OLED TV: $1,799.99 $1,079.99 at Amazon
Best Buy just dropped this 65-inch OLED TV from Vizio to $1,079.99. That's the lowest price we've ever seen and a fantastic deal for a premium OLED display. The 65-inch set features 4K HDR, an OLED panel, Dolby Vision and HDR10+, HDMI 2.1, and a 120Hz panel.View Deal
LG 55-inch B2 Series OLED TV: was$1,299.99 now $999.99 at Best Buy With an awesome OLED picture and great gaming features, LG's budget B2 series sets were already a great deal, and with this $300 price drop for the 55-inch model, they are looking better than ever. A native 120 Hz display and VRR means this set is ready for PS5 action, and with those deep OLED blacks, it's a great set for watching movies as well.View Deal
Make sure you check out these links as well for more great TV deals:
I've just been told by the lovely Becky Scarrott, our Senior Audio Staff Writer, that the excellent Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones have had a huge discount to just $193.75 at Amazon - and they are selling out so fast, there's only one left in stock! If you want a great pair of headphones, snap this one up!
Sony WH-1000XM4: was $349.99 now $193.75 at Amazon This price drop is lower than we've ever seen them on Amazon! It's on the black finish only (but if you want the silver set, those are reduced to $228 over at Best Buy). And let's face it, these are an excellent set of wireless cans – and although the newer XM5s sound just that tiny bit better, it's a closely run race. These hugely popular over-ear headphones are sonically gifted, boast excellent ANC and, unlike their younger siblings, fold up for easier transportation in their included travel case… View Deal
Samsung's best monitors are getting big price cuts for Cyber Monday
If you're really adventurous, you can even save big on one of the most innovative gaming monitors of the decade, the 55-inch Samsung Odyssey Ark for $2,749.99 at Amazon, a $750 price cut on one of the premiere gaming monitors out there.
Samsung Odyssey G3 (24", 1080p, 144Hz, 1ms):was $229.99now $202 at Amazon If you're looking for a great Samsung gaming monitor for just over $200, you've come to the right place. This full HD display features a 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms pixel response, so its great for esports, while the 12% discount is great for your wallet.View Deal
Samsung Odyssey G5 (27", 2K, 165Hz, 1ms):was $399.99now $249.99 at Best Buy 2K displays often fit right into the sweet spot between performance and price, and the Odyssey G5 definitely proves the point. With 1440p resolution, a speedy 165Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms pixel response, you'll definitely get the most gaming performance out of this monitor for its low price, thanks to this deal at Best Buy right now. View Deal
Samsung Odyssey G7 (28", 4K, 144Hz, 1ms):was $799.99now $579.99 at Best Buy Easily one of the best gaming monitors you can buy, the Odyssey G7 is a pricey little number thanks to its premium features like 4K resolution with 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms pixel response, and FreeSync Premium and G-Sync compatibility. Right now though, you can save $220 with this awesome Best Buy deal, but you'll have to move fast.View Deal
Samsung Odyssey G9 (49", 1440p, 240Hz, 1ms, 1000R):was $1,399.99now $899.99 at Amazon If you're in the market for an ultrawide monitor, you might as well go all in and get the Samsung Odyssey G9, which has the screen space of two 2K monitors side by side (32:9 screen ratio), while pumping out a blazing fast 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms pixel response. Normally costing almost $1,400, you can get it right now for under a grand with this Black Friday monitor deal from Amazon.View Deal
Samsung Odyssey Ark (55", 4K, 165Hz, 1ms):was $3,499.99now $2,749.99 at Amazon The Samsung Odyssey Ark is one of the most innovative monitors we've seen in years, but this is a very premium display, so its price tag is definitely not what we'd call accessible. But right now, you can save $750 on this incredible display at Amazon, which just might make it possible to buy.View Deal
If you’re keen to upgrade your coffee-making equipment in time for the holidays, then you're in luck: a large chunk of this year’s Cyber Monday coffee maker deals are essentially carbon copies of their Black Friday equivalents.
In most cases, retailers including Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy have simply replaced the ‘Black Friday’ label with ‘Cyber Monday’ (those cheeky so-and-sos!).
Our pick of the bunch under $100 is the mega-popular Keurig K-Mini, which Amazon is still offering for half price ($50) right now. You’ll have to opt for the dark green model to get the biggest saving – other colors are priced slightly higher – but this is the smartest-looking option, in our humble opinion.
Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker: was $100 now $49.99 at Amazon The K-Mini coffee maker is designed for those with limited space (or a smaller budget). It's less than five inches wide, so can easily fit on small counter tops, and can still brew any cup size between 6 to 12 ounces. However, unlike the Slim, the K-Mini only features a one-cup reservoir, so you'll need to add water for each brew. This is the lowest price we've ever seen, but stock is low for certain colors.View Deal
Sowtech 3.5-Bar, 4 Cup Espresso Maker and Cappuccino Machine: was $90 now $52.99 at Amazon Amazon is offering a great deal on this capable Sowtech espresso maker in time for Cyber Monday. For only $53, you'll get a compact but powerful machine whose single-knob control system couldn't be easier to use. You won't get many of the flashier features found in more expensive espresso makers, mind you, but this is still a cracking deal worth considering.View Deal
Instant Solo Single Serve Coffee Maker: was $120 now $69.95 at Amazon This Instant coffee machine (from the makers of Instant Pot) is compatible with both Keurig's K-Cup pods and regular granules. It'll brew either 8, 10 or 12-oz coffees, and boasts a large 40-oz water reservoir to ensure lengthy periods between refills. The best part about this coffee maker, though, is its price – at just $70, we've never seen it so cheap. View Deal
Nespresso Vertuo Next Premium with Aeroccino3 by Breville: was $220 now $167.96 at Amazon The Nespresso Vertuo Next Premium boasts the same aesthetic features as the Vertuo Next Deluxe (metal cup support, chrome colour accents etc.) but swaps its steel pourer for a plastic one. That's a worse deal, right? Sure, but this particular Amazon bundle throws in an Aeroccino3 milk frother, which delivers hot or cold milk froth with one touch. This deal has been steadily improving in the weeks leading up to Cyber Monday, but $168 is as low as it'll get (we think). View Deal
Nespresso Creatista Plus Coffee Machine by Breville: was £650 now $454.95 at Amazon One of the more premium Nespresso machines, the Nespresso Creatista Plus is sophisticated and slick. It has a steam arm for milk frothing (which is great for latte art, too), and also comes with a steel jug. What's more, if you're a tea drinker, the Creatista Plus can even produce hot water. $195 is a huge saving on the stainless steel version of this premium model for Cyber Monday.View Deal
Save big on Sennheiser's five-star August-issue Momentum 4 Wireless
Missed out on the Sony XM4 steal we listed mere moments ago? It's OK, lots of us did… But this deal, on the excellent Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, which sees them slashed in price to just $298.72 at Walmart (from $349) is the next best thing!
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless: was $349.95 now $298.72 at Walmart Sennheiser's fourth generation wireless over-ear cans are excellent – just see our five-star review of the product for our in-depth (frankly glowing) analysis. For this new low fee – and remember, they only arrived in August, so any discount is a novelty – you get excellent active noise-cancellation, a suite of impressive features plus impressive sound and call quality. They’re also light and comfortable – and the 60-hour battery is just another way in which they're unbeatable at the level. Missed out on a Sony XM4 deal? This is the next best thing. View Deal
But I have to say: this deal, like the Sony one, may not last for long. If you're thinking of buying a set, don't wait too long on these…
Welcome to anyone just joining us
I'm Julia Sagar, Content Director of Ecommerce here at TechRadar, and I'm in the driving seat for the next hour or two. I'm busy scanning the sales for the latest Cyber Monday deals and news, so stay tuned for the best bargains you can buy now (and a heads-up on what to avoid).
Hulu's streaming TV deal of the year ends tomorrow
Yes, this is technically a Black Friday deal. But it's Cyber Weekend, and the deal's still running, and it's VERY good - so here you are.
You can still buy a 12-month, ads-based Hulu subscription for just $1.99 a month – a deal that represents a hefty 75% saving on its usual $7.99 price point. The offer is only available until Monday, November 28, though, so if you're interested grab it now.
Here's what our Entertainment reporter Tom Power has to say about it:
"This year, Hulu is facing competition from other streamers in the Black Friday sales, with HBO Max leading the charge with its own 80% off Black Friday deal. While that sounds incredibly enticing, it's Hulu's Black Friday offer that I'll be buying – and here's why.
"For starters, Hulu's back catalog is surprisingly fantastic. There are a number of great shows to check out, covering a wide range of genres so fans of all kinds will find something worth streaming.
"There are plenty of great Hulu movies to discover, too. From Palm Springs and Run, to Prey and Fresh, Hulu runs the gamut of genres to deliver a great package of the best Hulu movies around.
"Away from its original content, a Hulu subscription also provides other benefits. Stumping up the cash gives you the option to try out HBO Max, Warner Bros Discovery's streaming platform, for free for a week.
"By signing up to a Hulu subscription, you can select an add-on to grab a seven-day HBO Max free trial. Even with HBO Max's own Black Friday deal, Hulu's add-on represents significant value for money as it's the only way you can try out HBO Max for nothing, and catch up on House of the Dragon and The Batman. Not too shabby, eh?"
3 of the best TVs you can buy
There are looooads of Cyber Monday TV deals available. But sometimes you just need a bit of guidance, so we asked TV expert and good TechRadar friend Henry St Leger to chose three of his favorite TVs at three different price points: budget, mid-range and premium.
He's picked them on the basis on their performance and usual value for money - but the good news is all three are on sale today, so even better value for money than usual.
1. Sony XR-A95K
The best TV for image quality you can buy today
Screen size: 55-inch, 65-inch | Resolution: 4K | Display technology: QD-OLED | Smart TV: Google TV | Refresh rate: 120Hz
Stunning pictures and sound
Exceptional build quality
Expensive
Only in two sizes
This 2022 Sony TV could well be the best TV ever, thanks to its exceptional build quality, with some of the most stunning images to ever grace a television screen.
This is a QD-OLED TV, meaning it makes the most of both OLED panels (great darks and brightness control) alongside Quantum Dot filtering (boosted color and contrast).
Sony's Acoustic Surface Audio feature quite literally vibrates the screen to emit sound, too – it won't compete with a dedicated Dolby Atmos soundbar, but it'll certainly enhance whatever is on the screen. Voice recognition capability will make it easy to control playback from the comfort of the couch as well.
It's certainly pricey, though you'll also get premium gaming features like HDMI 2.1, 120Hz frame rate, and VRR –though only on two ports, which is pretty cheap for a premium TV.
The LG C2 is one of the best TVs out there today – its images aren't quite as strong as the Sony A95K's, but it's costs a huge amount less. It features a stunning OLED display with an Alpha a9 Gen. 5 processor, offering incredible images, motion processing, and vibrant colors in every pixel. At this price, you're getting a truly astonishing level of picture quality, including good motion processing and a 120Hz screen to keep everything clear even when the action gets fast.
The webOS platform is one of the best in the business, too, making it easy to navigate your favourite channels and apps. The sound quality is ample as well, with 40W of volume and a 2.2 channel speaker system – perfectly good for sports, though you may miss some nuance when switching over to watch an action movie on Netflix. It's got four future-proof HDMI 2.1 ports for next-gen gaming too.
After a capable TV deal that doesn't cost the earth? Check out this mid-range Samsung TV, the Q60B. The QLED screen will offer improved color and contrast over cheaper LCD models, though lacks the more impressive backlights in the screens higher up – this isn't a match for OLED or Neo QLED when it comes to brightness or cinematic depth.
However, Samsung is a reliable TV brand with a base level of picture quality even at this price range, and the wide mix of screen sizes will give you plenty of flexibility in choosing the right model for your home. Samsung motion processing is good, though getting a TV at this price means a 60Hz screen instead of 120Hz, so motion is a little less fluid and clear. But if you want a big punchy screen, it's great value.
5 of the best Lego deals out there
If you're looking to spend a few evenings or even a whole weekend away from your tech and unwind from your digital life for a while then building a Lego set is a fantastic option for you. Here are a few of the best Lego Cyber Monday deals out there right now that you do not want to miss out on.
Lego Everyone is Awesome: was $34.99 now $24.49 at Lego.com This vibrant Lego set from Lego Design Lead Matthew Ashton is currently 30% off for Cyber Monday. This set isn't the most complex to assemble but it looks beautiful when you're finished, and it's a great size to have on your desk if you're looking to bring a splash of color to your office.View Deal
Lego Bonsai Tree: was $49.99 now $39.99 at Best Buy There are a lot of Lego sets on sale right now, but by far and away this bonsai tree model is our favorite. This set is perfect for people that love plants but don't have a green thumb (and might not be able to keep a real bonsai tree alive). Plus, there's a lot of room to let your creativity take over as you sculpt this model into a tree that you love. Best of all, it's $10-off right now at Best Buy.View Deal
Lego Queer Eye The Fab 5 Loft: was $99.99 now $59.99 at Lego.com This 974-piece Lego set is down to its lowest-ever price at Lego.com, and it's a must-buy for any Queer Eye fan. It comes with a minifig for each of the Fab Five, as well as two for the person they're ready to give their makeover to, plus the loft is full of details from the show.View Deal
Lego Ideas Tree House: was $249.95 now $174.99 at Amazon This beautiful treehouse set is comprised of 3,036 Lego pieces and offers interchangeable leaves to signify summer or fall. It's one for more advanced Lego builders for sure, though this set is an ideal project for kids and parents to do together (perhaps you could design your ideal treehouse over the winter and build it for real in the spring and summer).View Deal
Lego Marvel Spider-Man Daily Bugle: was $349.95 now $300 at Walmart Parker! We need minifigs of Spider-Man! This 3,772-piece set is another major creative project targeted at adult superhero fans. The iconic building has four floors and features fan-favorite characters like Peter Parker, Miles Morales, Green Goblin, Daredevil, Black Cat among many others.View Deal
Upgrade your kitchen with a KitchenAid stand mixer and attachments If you're looking to upgrade your kitchen's gadgets then you can't do much better than a KitchenAid stand mixer. This appliance is the perfect companion for bakers and cooks alike as it can help you prepare all your ingredients for a range of recipes.
But it's not just a mixer; grab some attachments and you can turn your KitchenAid gadget into a whole host of useful appliances. Below you'll find our favorite KitchenAid mixer deal from this year's Cyber Monday and Black Friday sales, as well as a few discounted attachments that we love.
KitchenAid Professional 5 Plus stand mixer: was $449 now $249 at Best Buy
If you want a KitchenAid stand mixer this Black Friday then this is the deal you need. Right now you can get a 5-quart bowl-lift mixer at a ridiculously low price – with $200 off it's the cheapest KitchenAid mixer out there, and normally it's one of the most expensive. Treat it right and this stand mixer will quickly become an essential tool in your kitchen – especially if you upgrade it with the optional attachments that are on sale now too.View Deal
KitchenAid slicer attachment: was $64.99 now $38.24 at Amazon If you already have a KitchenAid mixer you can equip it with this slicer and shredder attachment so it can help you prepare even more kinds of food. The three-blade options it comes with are perfect for slicing, grating, and shredding various veggies and cheese as required, and it's now down to the best price we've seen. It's on sale for $44.99, but you can use a $6.75 coupon to bring it down to $38.24, its best-ever price.View Deal
KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker attachment: was $99.99 now $74.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond This ice cream maker attachment is 25%-off right now and it comes with free shipping from Bed Bath & Beyond. It comes with everything you need to make up to 2 quarts of ice cream, you just need to supply your own ingredients.View Deal
KitchenAid sifter and scale attachment: was $129.99 now $99.99 at KitchenAid This attachment makes it much easier to add precise quantities of dry ingredients to your mixing bowl, while also sifting them to ensure you aren't adding any lumps. We have seen it cheaper during Black Friday, but that flash sale is over so now this is the best price you can pick it up for.View Deal
Hi folks, this is Matt Bolton – Managing Editor, Entertainment here at TechRadar – and I'm taking over the live blog for the next few hours. My specialism on the site is TVs, audio and streaming, though I'll be helping you with much more than just that.
That said, I'm still gonna start with some soundbars, because no one can stop me…
One of the best surprises of this year's Black Friday weekend has been the biggest-ever price drops on Sonos soundbars. Normally, big Sonos deals have been super-rare, but the company went hard this year.
I use a Sonos Arc at home myself, and the price of $719 is excellent for a big Dolby Atmos soundbar that's as good with music as it is with movies. But the biggest bargain is the Sonos Beam Gen 2 for $359. There's no other soundbar that's as compact and sounds as good for the same price. It's big, it's expansive, it's exciting, and it does it for smaller TVs without demanding the space for a separate subwoofer.
The great Sonos Roam Bluetooth speaker is also a record-low price, so check out our full guide to the best Sonos Cyber Monday deals for more from the company.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) soundbar: was $449 now $359 at Crutchfield The 2nd generation Sonos Beam hits its lowest-ever price with this excellent 20% discount. The compact and stylish soundbar features excellent integration with the wider Sonos ecosystem and immersive virtual Dolby Atmos support. Its size is great for TVs between 43 inches and 58 inches.View Deal
Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos soundbar: was $899 now $719 at Crutchfield
This is a truly excellent deal. It's $180 cheaper than we've ever seen the Arc to date it's a sensational five-star soundbar with Dolby Atmos, TrueHD, and Dolby Digital Plus. Its setup is incredibly simple, too. This is Sonos, remember, the firm that wrote the book on multi-room audio for your home. Our advice? If you've been considering the Arc for a little while now, this is the moment.View Deal
Verizon's Cyber Monday deals are offering some fantastic opportunities to get a discounted phone today and some serious freebies. Regardless of whether you're looking for an iPhone or Android device, you'll find all of today's best promotions laid out just down below.
So far, our favorite Cyber Monday Verizon deals are on the iPhone 14 Pro and Google Pixel 7, which are both being offered with a free smartwatch, tablet, and pair of buds. Note, these free gifts stack on top of the usual trade-in rebate or BOGO promos that you find on these devices, which means you could potentially be looking at an added value of over $1,500.
Not looking to trade in? Check out the iPhone 14 Plus, which is currently going for just $10 per month right now without the need for handing over an old device. Prepaid users will also find a whopping $300 discount up for grabs across all of the latest iPhones – a rare promotion considering Verizon's usual deals only cover devices bought in conjunction to unlimited data plans.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro: up to $1,000 off with trade, plus free Apple Watch SE, iPad, and Beats Fit Pro This is the highlight of this year's Verizon Cyber Monday deals. The excellent iPhone 14 Pro is up for grabs with the usual trade-in rebate of up to $1,000, but with a free Apple Watch SE, iPad, and pair of Beats Fit Pro being thrown in. That's just over $1,000 in free gifts according to Verizon and an amazing little package to get on top of the usual saving. Also available today is the buy-one-get-one-free promo, but that doesn't stack with the trade-in rebate. Note, this one is currently on backorder until December 18, so definitely grab it sooner rather than later.View Deal
Verizon Cyber Monday Android special: get a free smartwatch, pair of earbuds, and tablet Verizon has launched a Cyber Monday promotion that's offering a whole bunch of free accessories on select Android smartphones. Free gifts include the Galaxy Watch 4, Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite, and Pixel Buds Pro, along with other excellent options. Note that this promotion is running on the Galaxy S22 series, Google Pixel 6, and Google Pixel 6a. With the latter two devices, this Black Friday deal stacks on top of the saving you can get with an unlimited data plan (effectively giving you a discount device and free stuff).View Deal
Verizon prepaid: $300 off select iPhones Verizon's Cyber Monday deals include a rare promotion for prepaid users today, with a massive $300 discount available across a range of the latest models. Eligible devices include the iPhone 14, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, and the iPhone 13 - the latter being a particularly good buy for those on a budget. It's not every day you see this carrier offer promotions outside of its pricey unlimited data plans so this is definitely not one to miss if you're looking to cut out those pesky long contracts.
Apple iPhone 14 Plus: $10/mo with new unlimited line at Verizon
No trade-ins are needed to get the brand new Apple iPhone 14 Plus for just $10 per month this week, thanks to Verizon's Cyber Monday deals. This is the first non-trade-in carrier discount we've seen on any device in the new iPhone 14 range and a superb, superb deal overall. The saving here totals a whopping $540 over the duration of a 36-month plan and new customers will also get an additional $200 if they switch over from another carrier.View Deal
Huge deals on Apple and Beats headphones this year
We got some excellent offers on Apple earbuds this year, with impressive deals for both AirPods and Beats (which the company owns) that are still running… for now.
The particularly mind-blowing discount was on the new AirPods Pro 2, which dropped by $50 to $199 despite being brand new. We really didn't expect a discount that big, so even though the percentage it fell isn't as impressive as some offers, it's been one of the best deals of the year. In our AirPods Pro 2 review, we raved about their noise-cancelling powers, and their much-improved sound.
Meanwhile, the cheapest AirPods 2nd Gen dropped to their lowest-ever price of $79, which is nice for those on a budget, though if you're looking at those, we'd encourage you to turn your eyes to what Beats has to offer. Beats Studio Buds, which bring good sound quality and active noise-cancellation, plus a bunch of other smart features, are now just $89, which is ridiculous. You get a lot more value (and better sound) than from the basic AirPods.
But if you really want to keep the price down, then Beats Flex earbuds for just $39 instead of $69 is hard to beat.
Apple AirPods Pro 2:was $249 now $199 at Amazon
Apple's latest and greatest earbuds have never been this cheap, mostly because they only came out a couple of months ago. We saw them receive a $25 dollar discount in October, but this is a huge deal on some of the best earbuds around. We raved about the noise cancellation and sound quality in our review, and the longer battery life and upgraded Find My support are both excellent, too – and they're still light and comfortable.View Deal
Apple AirPods (2nd Gen): was $129 now $79 at Amazon
This is the lowest price Apple's cheapest AirPods have ever been. They once hit the same price briefly in the past, but that's it – there's never been a better reduction otherwise. They lack the Spatial Audio and improved sound quality of the AirPods 3rd Gen, and they don't have the active noise cancellation of the AirPods Pro. But you still get smart features, such as instant pairing, auto switching between devices, and Find My support.View Deal
Beats Studio Buds:was $149 now $89 at Amazon
These small and light earbuds fit in clear sound and solid active noise cancellation, as well as fast-pairing and Find My support for both iPhone and Android, which is extremely rare. This is the cheapest we've ever seen them – they've been this price once before, but that's it.View Deal
Beats Flex earbuds:was $69 now $39 at Amazon
These super-cheap Beats still give you the instant pairing and auto-switching between Apple devices of more expensive buds. Their magnetic buds and neckband design means they're extremely hard to lose. They come in a great range of colors, too.View Deal
Get a wireless Ring Video Doorbell for $59
This is a great deal for smart home bargain hunters. If you're happy to get an older model of Ring doorbell, you can get one for under $60, but still with the advantage of being powered totally from the rechargeable battery (or you can wire it in).
Ring is up to the fourth model of its wireless doorbells, and this deal is on the second model, but it offers the core functionality you want: it can detect motion, record video, and be used to enter a two-way conversation with anyone facing it, including streaming video of them to you.
Video doorbells can be great for security, but they're also of huge benefit to anyone with mobility problems or who's vulnerable, since it enables you to respond to someone at the door without getting up or unlocking the door, as long as you have your phone on you, or an Alexa device nearby. And for everyone else, they just mean you'll never miss when a delivery comes or a neighbor stops by, even if you're miles away.
Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen): was $99.99 now $59.99 at Amazon This Ring doorbell model may be a few years old, but at just under $60 it's a great pickup right now (especially as this is the lowest price it has ever been). It offers you full-HD video and a 155-degree horizontal field of view, and we gave it four stars in our review. View Deal
Get up to $100-off Henry Cavil's favorite running watches
Henry Cavill is well known for playing some of the buffest characters on our screens (the likes of Superman, Geralt of Rivia, and that Mission Impossible: Fallout spy I can't remember the name of), and right now you can buy the fitness gadget he “couldn’t live without” for up-to $100-off: a Polar smartwatch.
While we can't promise you'll get the same results as Cavill right away, we can attest to the quality of Polar's hardware. I also used the Polar Vantage V2 for over a year as my go-to fitness watch – when I wasn’t testing other watches, of course – and I loved it.
Polar Vantage V2 running watch: was $499.95 now $399.96 at Polar
Save $100 on the Polar Vantage V2. The V2 is Polar’s premium running offering, with an accurate heart rate monitor that can calculate running power on the wrist alone. Garmin and other brands require a separate heart rate monitor to calculate this metric. It lasts up to 100 hours with full GPS usage, and it supports multiple satellite systems including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS for pinpoint-accurate tracking. View Deal
Polar Grit X Pro adventure watch: was $499.95 now $449.95 at Polar Save $50 on Polar’s awesome adventure watch. The Grit X Pro boasts four stars in our review, using Polar’s GPS smarts to facilitate adventuring. It’s tough, with a sapphire glass and polymer build, and it has the Polar Precision Prime heart rate monitoring tech that makes the Vantage V2 sing. This is an excellent rival to the watches offered by Garmin. View Deal
Polar Vantage M2 running watch: was $299.95now $200.97 at Polar This more budget-friendly option could be just up your street at almost $100-off. You get most of the Vantage V2’s smarts just in a smaller package; though you also only get 40 hours of training on a single charge rather than 100 and it’s only water-resistant to 30 meters. That said, this smartwatch will be more than able to handle whatever most people will need to throw at it, so don't disregard this option too quickly. It's ideal for half-marathon runners. View Deal
Get a 1TB microSD card for less than $100
This deal isn't as flashy as getting a65-inch 4K TV for $499 or an air fryer for $17.99, but it's still one of the best discounts out there. A 1TB microSD card gives you an absolute boatload of storage space in an itty-bitty container and is perfect for the camera buffs or video game fans amongst you.
Plus SanDisk is one of the best brands out there for digital storage, so you know this $99 purchase won't be one you regret as the card will be as good as the Amazon listing promises.
SanDisk Ultra 1TB microSD card: was $136.99 now $99 at Amazon One can never have enough portable storage, especially when it's less than $100 and is a full terabyte of space. The 150mb/ps speed is more than good enough for your prosumer camera, drone, or even your Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck gaming handhelds. You might find cheaper deals on 1TB microSD cards out there, but they probably won't be from a brand you can trust as much as SanDisk.
Cyber Monday's best laptop dealsb
Cyber Monday laptop deals are coming in thick and fast with many offers being at least as good as they were during Black Friday a few days ago if not a little better. Below you'll find a few of our favorite deals that are available right now, with options across a range of budgets.
Lenovo IdeaPad 1i: was $249.99 now $99.99 at Best Buy Our favorite super-cheap laptop deal from the early Best Buy Cyber Monday sale is this Lenovo IdeaPad marked down to just $99.99. If you've got a small budget and would prefer a Windows machine over a Chromebook, then this is the one to go for to handle all your basic day-to-day computing needs. It also comes with a slightly larger 14-inch display, which is rarely seen at such a low price.View Deal
Asus VivoBook 14: was $349.99now$280 at Amazon The Asus VivoBook 14 is getting a decent price drop for the holidays. This budget 14-inch laptop (which has a 4.4 out of 5 rating on Amazon) hits that perfect sweet spot between performance and price. Users also enjoy it for its portability and solid battery life, not to mention the comfy backlit keyboard; it's no surprise it's been a number-one best-seller on Amazon for laptops.View Deal
Acer Aspire 5: was $529.99now$389.99 at Amazon Not only does the Acer Aspire 5 enjoy a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Amazon for its lightweight and great value, but it’s getting a price cut that’s making it look like an even better buy. For just $389.99, which is 26% off the price, you get a 15.6-inch laptop with a solid AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD.View Deal
ASUS TUF Gaming F17 gaming laptop:was $899.99now$799.90 at Amazon
This laptop was already a great price at under $1,000, but with this markdown, it's an absolute steal. You get a solid 516GB of hard drive, 8GB of fully upgradable RAM, a Core i5 CPU, and an RTX 3050 GPU. For just over $800 you're getting a great laptop that can handle most PC games at high settings – although as with any gaming laptop, the battery life isn't so great.View Deal
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro: was $1,570now $1,099 at Walmart A solid deal on one of Lenovo's stylish Legion gaming laptops, the Legion 5 Pro packs a 16:10 WQHD+ display, RTX 3060 graphics card, and a powerful 6000-series octa-core Ryzen 7 CPU. Add in an RGB keyboard that feels great to use for typing or gaming, and you've got an excellent all-rounder laptop.View Deal
Time for a quick recap
There are loads of Cyber Monday deals today. And I mean loads. Here's a quick run-down of some of the best ones we've seen so far - and you'll find hundreds more discounts (literally hundreds) over in our dedicated Cyber Monday deals roundup.
Take a load off over the holiday season with robot vacuums
If you've got company coming over during the holidays, you can take some of the effort out by offloading the vacuuming to some helpful robots. Robo vacs make life a lot easier by just trundling around your house during the day, cleaning up every day to keep things looking and smelling fresher.
There are loads of great Cyber Monday vacuum deals on right now, including on big and powerful manual vacuums, but we wanted to share a couple of great-value robot options, including one from perennial favorite Roomba, and one from Shark that even empties its own dust compartment, so it's even less effort to run.
iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum: was $274now $179 at Amazon From the titans of the robot vacuum industry comes one of the best deals on robovacs this Cyber Monday; $95 off the iRobot Roomba 694. We love how intelligent and consistent iRobot's devices are, and feel comfortable recommending them to most households.View Deal
Shark EZ Robot Vacuum with Self-Empty Base: was $449 now $258 at Walmart With over $190 off the usual price this is a very affordable robot – and with 108 reviews on Walmart it's currently averaging a very impressive 4.8 out of 5 stars. The inclusion of a self-emptying base solves one of the big irritations of robot vacuums, which is they need emptied more often than uprights. Think of the Shark as a cat and its base as a litter tray.View Deal
A fast, cheap laptop isn't impossible – get a Chromebook
You might be wondering why you should consider a Chromebook over a laptop, but there are many reasons to choose one of these Google-powered machines instead of a Windows laptop or MacBook. Especially if you want something low-priced.
They're lightweight, portable laptops without a lot of bells and whistles, so they're ideal for less hardware-reliant users. And because Chrome OS is so easy to run, it makes low-end hardware much more effective – which is why Chromebooks are still the best cheap laptops. You can have something that runs quickly and smoothly without paying for higher-end hardware.
To celebrate these affordable workhorses, we're gathering up all the best Cyber Monday Chromebook deals, but here are two deals that are particularly impressive.
Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook:was $189 now $99 at Best Buy
This is a super-cheap Chromebook that would make a perfect starter laptop for kids who need something for their homework or to browse YouTube. With $90 off, it's almost half price. View Deal
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i:was $430 now $321 at Amazon
This early Cyber Monday Chromebook deal lets you grab a premium device for a bargain price. It features an Intel Core i3 CPU and 8GB of RAM with a 360-degree hinge and sharp Full HD touchscreen with stylus support.View Deal
3 great 65-inch Samsung QLED TV deals
Looking for a selection of high-quality 65-inch TV options from a reliable brand? Allow us to present this little tasting menu for you, which delivers three sumptuous flavors of Samsung QLED, depending on your budget.
The Q60B is the simplest – it lacks an advanced backlight or 120Hz support, but is bold and clear for the price.
The Q80B is a step up, bringing a more robust contrast and brightness, plus 120Hz support for gaming.
And the QN90B features a next-gen mini-LED backlight for a powerful and unforgettable finish.
Samsung 65-Inch Class QLED Q60B Series:was $997.99 now $797.99 at Amazon
This Samsung 4K TV has all the bells and whistles that you'd expect from a smart TV, including HDR, 100% color volume with quantum dot, voice assistance, filmmaker mode, and more. It's an excellent TV at a great price.View Deal
Samsung 65-inch Q80B Series QLED 4K UHD Smart TV: was$1,397.99now $997.99 at Amazon Amazon's Cyber Monday deals include a $400 discount on the excellent 2022 Q80B series QLED. The Q80B series is the most premium of the 'non-NEO QLED' range and, as you'd expect, features an incredibly powerful 4K Quantum processor, Full Array backlighting and an ADS panel for unparalleled viewing angles.View Deal
Samsung 65-inch QN90B QLED 4K Smart Tizen TV:was $1,999.99 now $1,599.99 at Best Buy We love Samsung's QLED TVs for their vibrant and crisp picture quality, as well as their smart TV features. Best Buy's Cyber Monday deals event has this QN90B 65-inch model on sale for a record-low price of $1,599.99 thanks to a whopping $400 discount.View Deal
Save even more on someone else's old iPad
Instead of dropping prices on all of the newest Apple gear, Amazon has cut prices on Apple tablets and Apple laptops marked as 'Renewed.' A renewed product isn't a brand new piece of kit, but it may be good enough with the deals you'll find.
When you buy a renewed product on Amazon, the iPad or MacBook Air itself will be in great shape. It may even be indistinguishable from new. You can't count on the rest of what's in the box, or even the box itself. Amazon will give you a compatible charger, or charging cable, as appropriate. It just may not be the original accessories.
If you thought the Cyber Monday deal on a Macbook Air for $799 was a great buy, how about the same laptop for $649? Amazon has a price cut on last year's iPad 10.2 (2021), down to $269.99 from $329.99. If you take it renewed, you can cut the price a further $20.
More expensive iPads get an even better discount. You can find last year's iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021) with the Apple M1 chip for only $899.98 if you buy it renewed. That's a $200 savings if you want a supremely large Apple tablet.
Apple MacBook Air (M1): was $999now $649 at Amazon If you're looking for a MacBook in today's Cyber Monday deals, Amazon has slashed the price of the 2020 MacBook Air. If you buy it 'Renewed,' without the original box and accessories, you can take another $150 off that amazing low price. The powerful 13-inch laptop delivers excellent performance thanks to Apple's M1 Chip. It's a fantastic value for the money and the best MacBook deal you can find.View Deal
iPad Mini (2021) – renewed: was $499.99 now $409 on Amazon Don't be concerned by the 'renewed' status of Amazon's updated listing for 2021's excellent iPad Mini; this is the same tablet that the retail giant was selling in the days ahead of Black Friday for $399.99, and you can still get it close to that price, although it was even cheaper on Friday. Described as 'the best small tablet money can buy' in our iPad Mini (2021) review, this pint-sized slate is powerful, feature rich and now, more affordable than ever.
iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) – renewed: was $1,099 now $899 at Amazon In place of deals on brand new models, Amazon has switched to pushing its 'renewed' iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) models; with a revised $230 discount off the original asking price, that's only $70 worse than the peak of its reduction on November 24. Not bad for a tablet we described as 'the best tablet money can buy' in our iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) review.
iPad Pro 11 (2021) – renewed: was $799.99 now $673 at Amazon Although the best savings on the iPad Pro 11 (2021) from the retailer look to have been and gone (reaching a peak $200 off on the day before Black Friday), you can still get over $100 right now. We're new just left wondering whether even bigger drops lie in store on Cyber Monday.
Honestly, you don't need more Apple Watch than this one
Let's be honest, you don't need more Apple Watch than you'll get with the Apple Watch SE (2020) on sale at Walmart for only $149. You get all of the fitness tracking, all of the messages and app controls, and a nice, bright screen that's just a bit smaller than the Apple Watch Series 8.
You can use Siri on the Apple Watch SE to control your smart home, store your music and photos, and load all of the capable apps you like. The Apple Watch SE has the same storage as today's Apple Watch Series 8.
What you don't get are advanced health features like blood oxygen monitoring or skin temperature sensing. The screen is bright and colorful, but it won't stay on all the time. If you lose the Watch SE, you don't have UWB capabilities like an AirTag, a feature on the newest Watch 8.
That's okay, because the Apple Watch SE is $200 cheaper than the best Cyber Monday Apple Watch deal we can find on a new Apple Watch Series 8. The Watch 8 is $349 at Target. The Walmart deal on the Apple Watch SE gives you, honestly, just enough watch for what you pay.
Apple Watch SE (1st Gen): was$279.00 now $149 at Walmart The original SE isn't as good as the Series 8, Ultra, or the updated SE from a hardware point of view, but there's still a lot to love here for $150. With a recycled aluminum case, it's swim-proof, great for hiking with real-time compass and elevation readings, and allows you to take calls and answer messages from your wrist.View Deal
Apple Watch 8 (GPS, 41mm):was $399now $349 at Target
This Apple Watch Series 8 deal at Target is a great low price for Apple's newest Apple Watch. You get great health features, a huge display, plus perfect synchronization with your Apple iPhone. We haven't seen a lower price for this watch, so grab this Cyber Monday deal if you're looking for the newest Apple wearable.
Cyber Monday has officially arrived - see the best deals happening right now
It's just past Midnight on the East Coast, which means the 2022 Cyber Monday deals event has arrived, and while several retailers launched their sales over the weekend, there will be plenty of new offers going live today. To give you a quick overview of the hottest Cyber Monday deals of the moment, we've listed ten of the best offers below.
Apple AirPods (2nd Generation): was $159now $79 at Amazon One of our favorite Cyber Monday deals is the Apple AirPods 2 on sale for just $79 at Amazon. That matches the record-low we saw during Prime Day and is a fantastic price for a pair of premium earbuds. If you want some new AirPods and don't need them to be the latest model, this deal is highly recommended.View Deal
ILIFE V3s Pro Robot Vacuum Cleaner: was $159.99 now $99 at Amazon One of the cheapest prices we've spotted on a robot vacuum cleaner this Cyber Monday is the Ilife V3s Pro on sale for just $99 - the lowest price we've ever seen. The robo vac works on hardwoods and carpets and runs routine cleaning based on a preset schedule, and will atomically go back to dock and charge when the battery is low.View Deal
Insignia 65-inch F30 Series 4K UHD Smart Fire TV: was $549.99 now $379.99 at Best Buy Another big-screen budget TV deal is this 65-inch 4K display from Insignia on sale for a stunningly low price of just $379.99. You're getting the Fire TV operating system, 4K Ultra HD resolution, DTS Studio Sound, and a handy Alexa voice remote - all for under $400.View Deal
Apple Watch SE (2022, 40mm): was$249 now $229 at Amazon Amazon's just posted the first-ever price cut on the latest Apple Watch SE this week thanks to its Cyber Monday deals. At $20 off, the saving isn't massive here, but it's easily the lowest price yet on this excellent budget wearable. While it lacks the bells and whistles of the Apple Watch 8 (like an always-on display or ECG), a snappy processor, great battery life, and an array of useful fitness features makes the latest SE easily the best value Apple Watch on the market right now.View Deal
Echo Dot (5th generation):was $49.99 now $24.99 at Amazon Amazon's latest Echo Dot is on sale for $24.99 for Cyber Monday - a massive 50% discount, and the first price cut the smart home speaker has received. With Amazon Alexa on board, the Amazon Echo Dot allows you to control your smart home setup, play music or podcasts, or simply ask for the forecast.View Deal
Nespresso Vertuo Next Coffee and Espresso Machine by De'Longhi: was $179 now $125.30 at Amazon Amazon has the mega-popular Nespresso Vertuo Next coffee machine at $125.30 right now, which is just $20 shy of its lowest-ever price. That record was set in August 2020, and we haven't seen this particular model as low since May last year. It may drop down slightly more, but if you're keen to pick up a new machine right now, we'd suggest making use of this cracking discount. View Deal
Oculus Quest 2 (128 GB) Cyber Monday bundle: was $469.99 now $349.99 at Amazon If you've been after an Oculus Quest 2, this is the perfect time to pick one up. In our four-and-a-half-star review we commended the Quest 2's solid specs and easy-to-use nature, plus there are some great games on the platform (which this bundle includes two of: Beat Saber and Resident Evil 4 VR).View Deal
Apple iPad 10.2 2021 (64GB): was $329 now $269 at Amazon Amazon has Apple's entry-level iPad on sale for $269. While it's not the speediest tablet in the range, a decent screen, quality design, and relatively speedy chip make this the iPad that suits most people's needs the best. For streaming, shopping, and doing a few light work tasks, it's a great choice, and today's deal is a record-low price.View Deal
Ninja AF101 Air Fryer: was $129.99now $84.99 at Amazon Air fryers are always popular during the Cyber Monday deals event, and Amazon has this best-selling Ninja model on sale for $85.95 when you apply the additional $15 coupon at checkout. The four-quart air fryer has over 39,000 positive reviews on Amazon and can not only air fry but crisp, roast, reheat, and dehydrates food for quick and easy meals.View Deal
Dell XPS 13: was $999 now $749 at Dell The Dell XPS 13 has always been well reviewed by us, with the newest model getting a solid 4 out of 5 rating for its portability, performance, and beautiful design. This configuration sporting a 12th-Gen Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD is getting a sizable $250 discount. That’s 25% off the price tag.View Deal
Our Cyber Monday TV Deal of the Day right now
Having just scoured the web for the freshest Cyber Monday TV deals just now, our top pick remains Samsung's 85-inch AU8000 Crystal 4K Smart TV, which has returned to a record low price of less than $1,300.
Although it doesn't pack in all the bells and whistles of more premium models it still delivers great contrast (despite a lack of local dimming) and a superb picture overall. If you're in the market for a quality 85-inch TV, the largest entry in the AU8000 LED TV series shouldn't disappoint.
Samsung 85-inch AU8000 Crystal 4K Smart TV: was$1,497.99now $1,297.99at Amazon Samsung's largest-size version of its AU8000 Crystal series 4K LED TV has again reached its lowest price, one last recorded in January 2022. The AU8000 models omit fancy features like a local dimming backlight, quantum dots, and 120Hz input for gaming, but if you're looking for a great Cyber Monday TV deal on a really big TV, this is it.View Deal
Looking for more noteworthy Cyber Monday TV deals on smaller TVs? Check these out.
Samsung 70-inch 4K Smart TV: was $629.99 now $549.99 at Samsung Best Buy's Cyber Monday sale has the Samsung 70-inch Crystal display on sale for a record-low price of $549.99. A solid choice for a big screen on a budget, this 4K UHD from Samsung is one of the company's entry-level displays and packs a solid 'Crystal' UHD 4K processor, an easy-to-use Tizen operating system, and full HDR support.View Deal
Insignia 65-inch F30 Series 4K UHD Smart Fire TV: was$549.99now $379.99 at Best Buy Our favorite budget big-screen Cyber Monday TV deal is this 65-inch 4K display from Insignia on sale for a stunningly low price of just $379.99. You're getting the Fire TV operating system, 4K Ultra HD resolution, DTS Studio Sound, and a handy Alexa voice remote – all for under $400. Not too bad, eh?View Deal
TCL 50-inch 4 Series LED 4K UHD Smart TV: was$339.99now $239.99 at Best Buy One of our favorite budget 50-inch Cyber Monday TV deals is this TCL 4-Series 4K display for just $239.99. An incredible price for a mid-size display, you're getting 4K UHD resolution, Google Assistant and Chromecast built-in for seamless streaming, and a handy voice remote.View Deal
These air fryers are both reduced from over $100 down to less than $40, so which is best?
BestBuy has put out some superb savings on air fryers across this weekend and pulling from our rundown of the best Cyber Monday air fryer deals, we found that these Bella Pro and Insignia fryers both find themselves as falling below only $40, but there's a clear winner between the two.
Despite only starting at $10 more before the sales kicked in, the Bella Pro benefits from a larger 8-quart capacity (compared to the Insignia's 5-quart basket), plus a digital display to its rival's mechanical alternative. The Pro's divided basket also means you can cook not only more food, but different foods, simultaneously. Dig in!
Insignia 5-quart Mechanical Air Fryer: was $99.99now $39.99 at Best Buy
This early Cyber Monday air fryer deal has knocked 60% off this no-frills device that can also bake and roast food. It's a smaller air fryer, but it's the perfect size for a family of four and now a great value for budget-minded ones.View Deal
Bella Pro 8-quart Digital Air Fryer with Divided Basket: was $109.99 now $39.99 at Best Buy This early Cyber Monday air fryer deal takes $70 (or more than 50%) off this highly-rated air fryer. That means you can get a quality device that can cook for 8 people and has 8 different features for under $50. View Deal
Spooky season may be behind us but that hasn't stopped Meta and Capcom from serving up one of the best Cyber Monday Oculus Quest 2 deals that we've seen in a while.
You can grab the Quest 2 headset and controllers, alongside hit rhythm game Beat Saber and superb action horror title Resident Evil 4 VR, which in our five-star review, we described as "one of the best VR games we've ever played," all for less than $350 for the base 128GB Quest 2.
Oculus Quest 2 (128GB) Cyber Monday bundle: was $400 now $349.99 at Amazon If you've been after an Oculus Quest 2, this is the perfect time to pick one up. In our four-and-a-half-star review we commended the Quest 2's solid specs and easy-to-use nature, plus there are some great games on the platform (this bundle includes Beat Saber and Resident Evil 4 VR). Save $50.View Deal
Oculus Quest 2 (256GB) Cyber Monday bundle: was $590 now $429 at Amazon If you like the deal above but want a VR headset with more storage, this bundle with the 256GB Quest 2 is the way to go. That said, we've found that you need a lot of VR games to fill even the old 64GB Quest 2, so the 128GB model above should be fine if you're on a budget – especially since the specs are otherwise identical.View Deal
Oculus Quest 2 Beat Saber bundle (128GB): $399.99 at Best Buy
While the Meta Quest 2 isn't cheaper than usual, this deal does include a bundle. Along with Meta Quest 2, you get a Beat Saber game, so you can start the VR fun right away.View Deal
Astell & Kern high-end audio player gets a rare discount to its lowest price ever
It may be the company's entry-level proposition but where Astell & Kern is concerned, you know you're getting an excellent hi-res audio player regardless of the model. In our Astell & Kern A&norma SR25 MKII review, TechRadar's senior audio staff writer, Becky Scarrott awarded it a full five stars, commending its uncharacteristically-for-the-brand compact form of its ability to support seemingly any file type you throw at it.
Discounts like this $150 reduction are hard to come by when it comes to Astell & Kern's players, particularly on a device that's only a matter of months old.
Astell & Kern A&norma SR25 MKII: was $749 now $599 at Crutchfield It's a stunning thing and if you're looking for a hi-res audio player that'll handle virtually any file type and resolution you throw at it (up to 32bit/384kHz and Native DSD256), this is as good a price as you'll find. The SR25 MKII's 20 hour battery will last even the longest road trips and the screen is a bright, crisp delight. But the sound (oh, the sound) is expressive, expansive, decisive and the kind of thing that'll make you love your music – even much older tracks that have fallen out of favor in your most-played roundups – all over again. View Deal
Why not pair your MKII to a pair of headphones? We've included a trio of the best wireless headphones benefitting from some Cyber Monday goodness, until you find time to invest in a wired alternative to really bring out the player's potential.
Sony WH-1000XM4: was $349.99 now $228 at Amazon This price drop is lower than we've ever seen them on Amazon! It's on the black finish only (but if you want the silver set, those are reduced to $228 over at Best Buy). And let's face it, these are an excellent set of wireless cans – and although the newer XM5s sound just that tiny bit better, it's a closely run race. These hugely popular over-ear headphones are sonically gifted, boast excellent ANC and, unlike their younger siblings, fold up for easier transportation in their included travel case… View Deal
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless: was $349.95 now $298.72 at Walmart Sennheiser's fourth generation wireless over-ear cans are excellent – just see our five-star review of the product for our in-depth (frankly glowing) analysis. For this new low fee – and remember, they only arrived in August, so any discount is a novelty – you get excellent active noise-cancellation, a suite of impressive features plus impressive sound and call quality. They’re also light and comfortable – and the 60-hour battery is just another way in which they're unbeatable at the level. Missed out on a Sony XM4 deal? This is the next best thing. View Deal
Bose QuietComfort 45 wireless headphones: was $329 now $249 at Best Buy Bose’s QuietComfort range has been a byword for quality noise canceling audio hardware for years now, so you won’t want to sleep on this discount over at Best Buy. You can expect brilliant audio quality, 24 hours battery life, and quick boost feature that offers 3 hours of use after just 15 minutes of charging.View Deal
Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?
In short, no – Cyber Monday and Black Friday generally feature deals of similar quality. Both events also cover a similar range of categories
There have been a few attempts in recent years to distinguish these two events, with experts weighing in on the main differences when it comes to content. According to an interview conducted by Business Insider, Steve Koenig of the Consumer Technology Association stated that "Black Friday equals big-ticket items" and that "many [people's] purchases end up being for themselves or their own households".
That generally correlates with our own observations here at TechRadar– Black Friday tends to be the big event where people look for that new iPad or TV for their home, while the following Cyber Monday event has more of a 'Christmas gift' vibe, where people pick up those miscellaneous items.
Because the Cyber Monday deals are often a continuation of those offered in the Black Friday sales, it's generally a good idea to shop earlier if you're after something in demand. Last year, we saw quite a few Apple items, TVs, laptops, and consoles sell out before Cyber Monday rolled around, so be aware of that.
Is Cyber Monday too late to get a good deal?
Following on from our previous post, it’s worth clarifying that Cyber Monday is definitely not too late in the day to find good deals on premium tech products. Yes, there is more of a 'Christmas gift' vibe to these sales and yes, stock levels aren’t as high as they are on Black Friday – but there are still huge savings to be enjoyed across a range of categories.
This year's Cyber Monday sale event won't be as heavily affected by worries around delivery and supply chain issues, either, and there's very little chance that big retailers will leave such a big retail opportunity on the table without offering competitive deals. With the economy in question and people tightening their belts, retailers will be looking to respond with deeper discounts and cheaper alternatives in the face of lower demand.
In other words, if you missed out on that high-ticket laptop, TV, phone or home appliance deal last week: don't panic. There's a good chance that these savings will appear again in the coming hours, if stock allows.
Coffee maker deals are still brewing
If you’re keen to upgrade your coffee-making equipment in time for the holidays, then you're in luck: a large chunk of this year’s Cyber Monday coffee maker deals are essentially carbon copies of their Black Friday equivalents. In most cases, retailers including Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy have simply replaced the ‘Black Friday’ label with ‘Cyber Monday’.
We've included our two favorites below. The first concerns the mega-popular Keurig K-Mini, which Amazon is still offering for as low as $69.99 (down from $100) in a variety of colors. The equally popular Nespresso Vertuo Next also remains on sale (it's currently 30% off), although Amazon is down to its last five models, so you'll have to act quickly before the Next returns to its regular price this week.
Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker: was $100 now $69.99 at Amazon Like the Keurig K-Slim, the K-Mini coffee maker is designed for those with limited space (or a smaller budget). It's less than five inches wide, so can easily fit on small counter tops, and can still brew any cup size between 6 to 12 ounces. However, unlike the Slim, the K-Mini only features a one-cup reservoir, so you'll need to add water for each brew. It's currently up for $20 more than the lowest price we've ever seen, but this is still a cracking Cyber Monday deal. View Deal
Nespresso Vertuo Next Coffee and Espresso Machine by De'Longhi: was $179 now $125.30 at Amazon Amazon has the mega-popular Nespresso Vertuo Next coffee machine at $125 right now, which is just $25 shy of its lowest-ever price. This deal has ebbed and flowed by a few dollars either way in recent days, but we don't expect stock to last long enough for it to drop any further.View Deal
13 of today's best Cyber Monday deals
Here's a snapshot of what's happening in the sales this morning...
1. Apple AirPods (2nd Generation): was $159now $79 at Amazon One of our favorite Cyber Monday deals is the Apple AirPods 2 on sale for just $79 at Amazon. That matches the record-low we saw during Prime Day and is a fantastic price for a pair of premium earbuds. If you want some new AirPods and don't need them to be the latest model, this deal is highly recommended.View Deal
2. Kalorik 8 Qt Digital Touchscreen Air Fryer: was$119now $49 at Walmart This digital touchscreen air fryer is getting a massive $70 discount at Walmart's Cyber Monday, bringing the price down to just $49 which is an incredible deal. The multifunctional air fryer can also bake, roast, and reheat and features seven smart presets so you can whip up your favorite foods with a touch of a button.View Deal
3. Hulu: $1.99 a month for a whole year Hulu never disappoints when it comes to its Cyber Monday streaming deal offering. New and eligible returning customers can sign up to its With-Ads plan (usually costing $7.99 a month) and pay just $1.99 a month for their first year. With a whole host of critically acclaimed TV shows and movies, this is entertainment not to be missed. Expires November 28View Deal
4. Lego Guardians of the Galaxy Advent Calendar: was $44.99 now $35.99 at Lego Store
An excellent buy for the Lego and Marvel fan in your life. This playful spin on an advent calendar comes with 24 different gifts to unpack and buildable toys to construct throughout the festive build-up, including six iconic mini-figures based on characters from the intergalactic band of misfits.View Deal
5. Xbox Series S + $40 gift card: was $299 now $239.99 at Amazon The Xbox Series S might be the less powerful of Microsoft's current-gen systems, but it's still no slouch. Its lightning-quick 512GB SSD means your games load remarkably fast. The console also supports high-end features like VRR for more stable and consistent performance, and pairs excellently with a 1440p monitor. The addition of $40 in Amazon credit makes this deal even better right now.View Deal
6. ILIFE V3s Pro Robot Vacuum Cleaner: was $159.99 now $99 at Amazon One of the cheapest prices we've spotted on a robot vacuum cleaner this Cyber Monday is the Ilife V3s Pro on sale for just $99 - the lowest price we've ever seen. The robo vac works on hardwoods and carpets and runs routine cleaning based on a preset schedule, and will atomically go back to dock and charge when the battery is low.View Deal
7. Insignia 65-inch F30 Series 4K UHD Smart Fire TV: was $549.99 now $379.99 at Best Buy Another big-screen budget TV deal is this 65-inch 4K display from Insignia on sale for a stunningly low price of just $379.99. You're getting the Fire TV operating system, 4K Ultra HD resolution, DTS Studio Sound, and a handy Alexa voice remote - all for under $400.View Deal
8. Oculus Quest 2 (128 GB) Cyber Monday bundle: was $469.99 now $349.99 at Amazon If you've been after an Oculus Quest 2, this is the perfect time to pick one up. In our four-and-a-half-star review we commended the Quest 2's solid specs and easy-to-use nature, plus there are some great games on the platform (which this bundle includes two of: Beat Saber and Resident Evil 4 VR).View Deal
9. Kindle Paperwhite: was $149.99 now $99.99 at Amazon The 2022 Kindle Paperwhite is on my Christmas wish list and Amazon's Cyber Monday sale is offering a first-time $50 discount on the e-reader, bringing the price down to a record low of $99.99. The waterproof Kindle features a six-inch glare-free display and provides a single battery charge that lasts for weeks.View Deal
10. HBO Max: $9.99 $1.99 a month for 3 months & save 80% The HBO Max Cyber Monday promotion is here. Sign up to its With-Ads plan, and the HBO Max price drops down to just $1.99 a month for your first three months, down from $9.99 a month. That's a huge 80% saving, giving you access to hit series like The White Lotus, House of the Dragon, and more. Expires November 28View Deal
11. Nectar Memory Foam Mattress: was from $599now from $359 at Nectar Another popular category during Cyber Monday is mattress deals, and Nectar just dropped a flash sale that offers 33% off everything. You can save up to $500 on the Memory Foam Mattress, which brings the queen size from $999 to $669 - which beats the deal in last year's sales. This is a great value lower-mid-range memory foam mattress, which we gave 4/5 stars in our Nectar Mattress review.View Deal
12. Keurig K-Cafe Essentials Coffee Maker: was $99 now $79 at Walmart Walmart has the Essentials version of the Keurig K-Cafe coffee maker at just $79 as part of its Cyber Monday sale. It's not as flashy as its premium sibling – which sports a nickel-colored finish, metal handle, metal drip tray, and is on sale at Amazon right now – but as for features and settings, it's exactly the same machine.View Deal
13. National Tree Company Pre-Lit 7.5-feet Christmas Tree: was $879.99 now $402.86 at Amazon If you haven't picked out your Christmas Tree this year, Amazon's Cyber Monday sale is offering a massive $477 discount on this gorgeous 7.5-foot artificial tree. The top-rated Dunhill Fir Full is pre-lit with 1,000 white lights that remain lit even when a bulb goes out. View Deal
If you're hankering after a set of Sony's excellent WH-1000XM4 over-ear wireless noise-cancellers this Cyber Monday, you're not alone – it's one of the most searched for products of the season. And we're here for it.
We have to tell you that briefly (oh, so briefly!) yesterday, they did drop to $193 at Amazon... but that fleeting and euphoric moment passed in the blink of an eye.
Why are they still the most sought after pair? Well, while we applaud Sony's innovative approach and the newer XM5 cans do also sound excellent, those don't fold up for easier travel. And let's face it, it wasn't broke… so there was no need to fix it.
Sony WH-1000XM4: was $349.99 now $228 at Amazon This price drop equals the lowest we'd ever seen them on Amazon prior to the moment they dropped to $193 ever so briefly. We wish that time would return, but we can't promise it will. What we can promise is that you can have the blue finish at Amazon (but if you want the silver set, those are reduced to this price over at Best Buy). And let's face it, these are an excellent set of wireless cans. Although the newer XM5s sound just that tiny bit better, it's a closely run race. These hugely popular over-ear headphones are sonically gifted, boast excellent ANC and, unlike their younger siblings, fold up for easier transportation in their included travel case too… View Deal
I've spent over $2,000 on three products that I've been waiting to buy for months. Yep, that's a lot of money – but I've saved the better part of $170 by waiting for the right deal.
For starters, I've been looking to replace my aging Sony XM3 headphones, which snapped over Halloween, so I was delighted to find Sony's latest and greatest headphones, the WH-1000XM5, reduced from $399 to $348.68 at Amazon.
To complete my Cyber Monday hat-trick I scoured the best home security camera deals for an indoor camera so we could keep an eye on our recently-adopted dog, Jolly, and I found the eufy Camera Solo IndoorCam P24 reduced from $45.99 to $32.99 at Amazon in the US.
Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones: was $399 now $348.68 at Amazon These are the newest and best cans in Sony's class-leading wireless over-ear lineup. The older XM4s were outstanding, the XM3 before it was excellent, and it'll come as little surprise to know that Sony's latest XM5 proposition is also incredibly hard to beat. This is a top deal on a winning pair of new noise-canceling headphones. View Deal
LG C2 55-inch 4K HDR 120Hz TV: was $1,796.99now $1,696.99 at Amazon LG's 55-inch C2 series OLED TV is still at an all-time low price in this Cyber Monday sale. We loved the C2 when we reviewed it, and it ended up winning for both the best gaming TV and best overall TV of 2022 in the Tech Radar Choice Awards. At almost $1,700, the LG C2 isn't the cheapest 65-inch TV around, but given its outstanding combination of features, performance, and value, this is still a fantastic deal.View Deal
Eufy Camera Solo IndoorCam P24: was $45.99now $32.99at Amazon There are moments where my wife and I need to leave the house and keep our dog, Jolly inside, but we wanted to keep track of what he was doing, which is where this camera came in. It can stream up to a 2K resolution, and as it works with Amazon's Alexa and Apple Homekit, we can check the stream wherever we are, while speaking into it like a walkie-talkie if we see him climbing onto a table again.View Deal
Quick! Grab this Sonos Roam SL for 20%-off while you can
Thanks to their powerful sound, rugged yet portable design, and excellent connectivity we think the Sonos Roam and Sonos Roam SL are by far and away the best portable Bluetooth speakers available today.
And best of all you can get get the Roam SL for 20%-off at the Sonos store right now, bringing the price down from $159 to only $127. The main difference with the Roam SL compared to the Roam is that it lacks mics, meaning it can't be used as a smartphone device and it loses some auto-tuning features, but you can still manually tweak the sound to make it how you like it.
Sonos Roam SL Bluetooth speaker: was $159 now $127 at Sonos The Sonos Roam SL is the same portable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled speaker as the Sonos Roam, but has no mics. So there's no built-in voice assistant support, although it'll tag along if you've got voice control elsewhere in your Sonos setup. And we've never seen it quite so affordable before – $32 isn't a huge saving, but it's the best out there! View Deal
iPad owners: Don't miss this year's best Apple pencil 2 deal
Josephine Watson (our Managing Editor for Lifestyle) bought an Apple Pencil 2 earlier this year and she's very upset to find out that right now the stylus is currently $89.00 at Amazon. This is a 31% discount that slashes the price enough to make the newer stylus cheaper than the Apple Pencil 1 – it's absurd, especially when you consider Apple rarely discounts its accessories or devices (especially newer ones).
The Apple Pencil 2 fixes pretty much every flaw from its predecessor. For starters, the design has been changed to include a flat edge. This not only stops the pencil from rolling off any slightly slanted surface but also allows it to magnetically snap to the side of the newer iPad Pro tablets – which not only helps you keep the Pencil in a handy spot but automatically pairs it and wirelessly charges it too.
Beyond that, it comes with a slew of nifty gesture controls so you can quickly change its settings, as well as pixel-prefect drawing capabilities which make it a useful tool for digital artists.
Apple Pencil 2: was $129 now $89 at Amazon Once again, we're amazed at how low the price is, and we wouldn't be surprised if it sells out pretty quickly. This is actually the lowest price we've ever seen the Apple Pencil
2 on Amazon, so it's a great one to take advantage of.View Deal
Logitech Crayon Digital Pencil (2nd gen): was $69.99 now $66.49 at Amazon
We know, we know, a $3 saving on a $70 item is hardly the best discount of the year, but this Logitech Crayon deal isn't something you should dismiss right away. It's basically an Apple Pencil and comes with many of the same great features like pixel-precise drawing and a writing experience that feels as natural as pen on paper. The only downside is it uses USB-C charging rather than wireless, but for $23 less it's a great alternative for people on a tighter budget.View Deal
Save $90 in Cyber Monday's best drone deal
If you're a beginner looking to dip your toes into the world of aerial photography, then this drone deal for Cyber Monday is exactly what you need.
Instead of costing $599.99, you can get the DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo for $509.99 at Best Buy, the cheapest it's ever been. Despite the launch of the newer DJI Mini 3 Pro – which boasts impressive low-light performance and improved camera specs – the DJI Mini 2 still tops our guide to the best beginner drones, thanks to its more novice-friendly price tag and the inclusion of all of the same automated QuickShot modes.
The DJI Mini 2 is an ultra-compact drone that weighs less than 250g (which means it doesn't need to be registered with many aviation agencies), and yet despite its size we found it to be "rock-steady in all but the windiest conditions." Plus, it has a decently long battery life at 30 minutes of flight time from a single charge on a slightly breezy day.
DJI Mini 2 Pro Fly More Combo: was $599 now$509 at Best Buy
Here's a Cyber Monday drone deal that's been worth waiting for – a 15% price cut on the DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo bundle, which takes it down to its lowest-ever price. The Mini 2 is still our top drone for beginners and this bundle is well worth getting, as it includes useful accessories like spare batteries that'd cost a lot more if bought separately.View Deal
Get an LG C2 OLED TV for a record-low price
We've mentioned this TV discount a few times throughout this live blog (and in many of our other buying guides), but we wanted to remind you yet again as this deal is one of our favorite Cyber Monday TV deals. Right now you can get any size of the LG C2 OLED TV for their lowest ever prices at Amazon right now, so don't miss out.
Every model of LG C2 TV will come with the brand's excellent OLED Evo panels. Not only do they offer excellent contrast in dark scenes but they're brighter than LG's standard OLED panels. Though, because of their smaller size, the OLED Evo panels on 42-inch and 48-inch versions won't be quite as capable as those on the larger TVs, so if you have the space and budget to get a 55-inch display or larger we'd recommend it.
LG C2 55-inch 4K HDR 120Hz TV: now $1,296.99 at Amazon LG's C2 series OLED TVs are still at their lowest ever prices in Amazon's Cyber Monday sales. We adored the LG C2 when we reviewed it (giving it a full five-star rating), and it ended up winning both the best gaming TV and best overall TV of 2022 in the Tech Radar Choice Awards. If the 55-inch model is too expensive for you then you can pick up LG's smaller sizes at bargain prices, or if you crave something bigger the larger C2 OLED models are down to their lowest prices too.View Deal
You're running out of time to grab HBO Max for $1.99/month
We're big fans of HBO Max here at TechRadar. It's a staple of our best streaming services guide, thanks to its huge catalogue of superb shows such as House of the Dragon, Rick & Morty, Succession and more.
It's a pretty well-priced service year-round, with $9.99 securing you a month's subscription. But right now you can get it for the frankly ridiculous price of $1.99 for the first free months. Admittedly, you'll have to put up with ads for that - but then again, it's costing you just $6 for three months, so adverts seem like a worthwhile compromise. The deal runs out at the end of today, so act fast if you want to grab it!
HBO Max subscription: was$9.99/monthnow $1.99/month at HBOMax.com
HBO Max features tons of excellent programming on its streaming service like House of the Dragon, Rick and Morty, PeaceMaker, Friends, Big Bang Theory, and more. And this deeply discounted monthly subscription for three months makes the service even sweeter.View Deal
Start your D&D adventure with these Cyber Monday deals
I like a lot of things, but I really love Dungeons and Dragons, and I want to take a minute to highlight some amazing deals on the game's books that you can get at Amazon right now.
The fantasy roleplaying game is an absolute blast whether you're hanging out in person or rolling virtual dice over a Discord call, and you can experience the magic for yourself by snatching up all of the core rule books (and some optional extras) at super-cheap prices.
D&D Player's Handbook: was $49.95 now $15.99 at Amazon
The Player's Handbook is one of the three core rule books for D&D and is an essential tool for any new player looking to craft their first character. This is literally a must-buy for people wanting to jump into a game, and right now it is a steal at only 69¢ more than its lowest-ever price.View Deal
D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide: was $49.95 now $19.49 at Amazon
If you instead want to run a game as a Dungeon master (DM) then you'll need a copy of the Player's Handbook and this Dungeon Master's Guide. The DMG is another of the core rules and is full of loads of tips on how to create and manage a story, be it a one-shot or a whole campaign. Right now it's down to an amazing price that's only 1¢ more than its lowest-ever price. DM's might also want to pick up the Monster Manual, which was $49.95 and is now $18.49 at Amazon as it contains a host of foes that you can throw at your party.View Deal
Xanathar's Guide to Everything: was $49.99 now $22.99
This optional add-on for D&D's core rules is one that I use a lot in my campaigns. For players, it offers a wealth of new subclass options (including my favorite: the Glamour Bard) to try out as well as some new spells. While DMs can take advantage of the book's rule expansions and the very helpful random tables. Whether you need a quick encounter idea mid-session or you want to make sure that you're mixing up your enemies and rewards while planning your next game, these tables can be a great starting point for both new and experienced Dungeon Masters.View Deal
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything: was $49.95 now $36.95 at Amazon
If the name didn't give it way, this book is a pseudo-sequel to Xanthar's Guide to Everything, though you don't need the previous book to enjoy this one. Once again this book offers players a host of new spells and subclass options, and DMs get ideas for a load of new rule ideas. In particular, I love the new Magical phenomena rules and the ones about parleying with monsters, these help add some extra flavor to your adventures and make the world feel more alive.View Deal
D&D Strixhaven Curriculum of Chaos: was $49.95 now $31.65 at Amazon Alongside rule books that help you craft your own unique tales, Wizards of the Coast makes these adventure modules that have a pre-made world for a DM and a player to enjoy. There are loads of great adventures to try including a Fey Carnival and a vampiric horror, but this adventure set in a wizard's school (which is very much a Hogwarts ripoff) is a lot of fun. You can use this to jumpstart a campaign or to inspire the one you're creating, and the book is currently down to its best-ever price.View Deal
Setup your smart home on a budget
Upgrading your home into a smart home can be a daunting task, but thankfully there are a load of Cyber Monday deals to help make it much less expensive to deck your home out.
We've spent a lot of the last few days looking over all of the deals out there to find the best offers, and here are a few that stood out to us as great picks for people on a budget.
Echo Dot (5th generation):was $49.99now$24.99 at Amazon Of course, there are a couple of home hubs and smart speakers to choose from, and with the arrival of Matter, choosing your ecosystem is a lot more agnostic than it was a few years ago. However, the Echo is the best value for money in this year's Cyber Monday sales –a massive 50% discount, and the first price cut the smart home speaker has received. With Amazon Alexa on board, the Amazon Echo Dot allows you to control your smart home setup, play music or podcasts, or simply ask for the forecast.View Deal
Blink Video Doorbell: was $49.99 now $34.99 at Amazon Get the top-rated Blink Video Doorbell on sale for just $34.99 in today's Cyber Monday deals – the lowest price we've ever seen it. The Blink doorbell alerts you when motion is detected and features infrared night video and two-way audio.View Deal
Ring Stick Up Cam: was $99.99 now $69.99 at Amazon This classic Ring security option is great for setting up inside or outside your home. Thanks to its battery-powered design it can be installed wherever you need, though if you're using it outside you may need to think about how your home's exterior will be illuminated as it doesn't have a light.View Deal
Insignia 65-inch F30 Series 4K UHD Smart Fire TV: $549.99 $379.99 at Best Buy If you're looking for a budget set, you can't get much better than this Cyber Monday TV deal from Best Buy. This 65-inch 4K TV from Insignia is on sale for a stunningly low price of just $379.99. You're getting the Fire TV operating system, 4K Ultra HD resolution, DTS Studio Sound, and a handy Alexa voice remote - all for under $400.View Deal
Want a pair of AirPods Pro earbuds? Don't go to Apple
Lance Ulanoff, US Editor in Chief, TechRadar
I'm not a huge fan of Apple's Cyber Monday strategy of offering you a gift card instead of a real discount on its tech. I don't like its free engravings either; so if you ask me the best place to go for Apple's tech isn't Apple right now.
That's not to say Apple's Cyber Monday deals are absolute trash, its gift cards (which range from $50 / £50 to as much as $250 / £250 for a Macbook Pro) are nothing to sneeze at. Even so, they pigeonhole you into buying more Apple tech down the line – if you aren't interested in investing in the whole Apple ecosystem a proper discount, even if it's smaller, is much better.
With that in mind, here are some of the best Apple deals that will actually save you money.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation): was $249now$199.99 at Amazon One of today's best Cyber Monday deals is Apple's best-selling AirPods Pro 2 on sale for $199.99 - a new record-low price. Apple's all-new earbuds include improved audio quality and noise cancellation and include a wireless charging case that provides more than 24 hours of battery life. Today's deal is better than we saw during Prime Day, and we don't predict it will stick around for long.View Deal
Apple AirPods (2nd Gen): was $159now$79 at Amazon
This is the lowest price Apple's cheapest AirPods have ever been. They once hit the same price briefly in the past, but that's it – there's never been a better reduction otherwise. They lack the Spatial Audio and improved sound quality of the AirPods 3rd Gen, and they don't have the active noise cancellation of the AirPods Pro. But you still get smart features, such as instant pairing, auto switching between devices, and Find My support.View Deal
Apple AirPods 3rd Gen with MagSafe Case:was $169.98now$139.98 at Sam's Club
This is the cheapest we've ever seen the 3rd-gen AirPods. The latest non-Pro AirPods give you improved sound over the classic AirPods 2nd Gen, plus Spatial Audio, which is wonderful with movies especially. You don't get the in-ear fit or noise cancellations that you get from the Pros, but not everyone wants that anyway.View Deal
Get a powerful Acer gaming PC for $600-off
If you're looking for a gaming PC deal this Cyber Monday then look no further than this amazing offer that was found by our Computing Staff Writer, Allisa James.
Right now you can get one of the picks for the best gaming PC out there (the Acer Predator Orion 3000) for $1,399.99 at Amazon, saving you $600; that's almost a third off. This is still pretty pricey but this PC uses some really good specs – it features a 12-gen Core i7 processor, a powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU, 16GB of Ram, and 512GB of SSD storage (plus 1TB of HDD storage). You'll even get an Acer RGB keyboard and mouse too meaning you're just a monitor away from getting a really great PC gaming setup.
If you've been looking for a gaming rig, this is a seriously good investment.
Acer Predator Orion 3000 (Intel i7-12700F, 16GB, 1TB): was $1,999.99 now$1,399.99 at Amazon
This gaming PC rocks a 12th-generation processor and the powerful RTX 3070 graphics card, which can play any high-end PC title. The extra RAM and storage are especially useful for handling larger games.View Deal
Our favorite Cyber Monday gift idea - the Revlon volumizer one-step hair dryer
The Revlon one-step hair dryer is always a best-seller during Black Friday, partly because it makes a great gift idea and always receives a fantastic discount. This year, Amazon has the top-rated hair dryer on sale for just $25.24, the lowest price we've ever seen.
Revlon One-Step Volumizer PLUS 2.0 Hair Dryer: was $69.99 now $25.24 at Amazon Always a hot item during holiday sales events, Amazon has the best-selling Revlon One-Step hair dryer on sale for a record-low price of $29.08. Thanks to the unique oval brush design, the hairdryer delivers a salon-like blowout with brilliant shine and extra volume.View Deal
We've mentioned it a few times already, but this Cyber Monday there's a great offer on Meta's best VR headset the Oculus Quest 2 and I really don't want people to miss out on it.
Whatever your thoughts on the metaverse, the games and apps available on Meta's VR headset (the likes of Resident Evil 4 VR, Walkabout Mini Golf, and Wands Alliances) are such a blast; right now you can get the hardware you need to play them for $50-off (now $349 for the 128GB headset at Amazon). Better still you'll get two free games, Resident Evil 4 VR and Beat Saber (which are usually worth around $70).
Yes, the Quest 2 has been $50-cheaper – before August 2022 when its price was hiked $100 – but since that hike, this is the best deal we've ever seen. If you've been wanting to try VR this is the best opportunity you might have for a while.
Oculus Quest 2 (128 GB) Black Friday bundle: was $469.99 now $349.99 at Meta If you've been after an Oculus Quest 2, this is the perfect time to pick one up. In our four-and-a-half-star review we commended the Quest 2's solid specs and easy-to-use nature, plus there are some great games on the platform (which this bundle includes two of: Beat Saber and Resident Evil 4 VR).
Buy an iPhone, get an Apple Watch, iPad, and headphones free... yes really!
This Black Friday deal is pretty unbelievable. It's the sort of bargain you'd see in your email inbox and immediately discard as a scam, but it's 100% real this Cyber Monday.
When you go to the iPhone 14 Pro page on the Verizon website, in the offers section you should see the option to add the deal to your purchase. Just follow the deal's instructions found by hitting the 'Details' button and you can bag some huge savings.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro: up to $1,000 off with trade, plus free Apple Watch SE, iPad, and Beats Fit Pro This mammoth deal gets you a free Apple Watch SE 2, iPad 10.2, and pair of Beats Fit Pro – valued at just over $1,000 – with purchases of an iPhone 14 Pro on an unlimited 5G plan with Verizon. On top of that, there's the usual trade-in rebate of up to $1,000, and a $200 gift card if you switch. Also available today is the buy-one-get-one-free promo, but that doesn't stack with the trade-in rebate. Note, this one is currently on backorder until December 18, so definitely grab it sooner rather than later.View Deal
These Google Pixel deals are the real deal this Cyber Monday
An iPhone 14 Pro on a Verizon unlimited plan might offer you a load of free goodies, but it is still pretty darn expensive. If you're looking for a smartphone that's a bit more budget-friendly, then these Google Pixel offers could be more up your alley.
Alex Whitelock, our Deals Editor, has spotted that the Pixel 6a is on sale for $299 (was $449) and the Pixel 7 is selling for $499 (was $599) at Amazon right now.
The Google Pixel 7 offers users a powerful new Tensor G2 chip and a great camera with a host of creative features that will make your snaps look as good as possible, while the Google Pixel 6A delivers a solid performance in a cheap, compact handheld package.
Google Pixel 7: was $599 now $499 at Amazon The Google Pixel 7 is the latest flagship phone from the brand and this right here is the first-ever upfront price cut at Amazon. Today's Cyber Monday deal brings this excellent device down to just $499, an absolute steal considering the specs on offer here. Particular highlights include the speedy Tensor 2 chip and the newly upgraded camera tech, which remains a market leader in our books.View Deal
Google Pixel 6a: was $449 now $299 at Amazon The Google Pixel 6a is the brand's latest mid-range phone, but with this $150 discount from Amazon, it's available at a low-end price. If you're not sure whether this is the right phone for you, we're fans of its small size, clean software, and speedy fingerprint sensor, but less keen on its battery life and charging speed. Still, at this price, those flaws are much more forgivable.View Deal
Sony's OLED TV and soundbar deal is a bundle of joy
If you want to upgrade your TV and get a sound bar to boot, then this is the deal for you. Right now Amazon is letting go of a 65-inch Sony A80K OLED TV and HT-A3000 Dolby Atmos soundbar for just $1,889.99 in this Cyber Monday bundle deal.
That may save you 36%-off the usual asking price, but what do you get for your money? Well, the Sony A80K OLED is a mid-range TV that delivers a top-tier performance. In our four-and-a-half-star review, we praised its deep blacks, impressive brightness, and good out-of-box color accuracy. It runs on the tried-and-true Google TV platform with Google Assistant and has two HDMI 2.1 inputs that support 4K 120Hz video, variable refresh rate, and auto low latency mode for gaming. Though it lacks HDR10+, and its brightness levels fall short of the top OLED TVs.
As for the HT-A3000 Dolby Atmos soundbar, it’s a 3.1-channel model with virtual Dolby Atmos processing to deliver the height effects in Atmos soundtracks. Sony does virtual Atmos better than many other soundbar makers, so while we haven't tested this soundbar ourselves we expect the performance here will be quite good, especially for the price.
If you’re serious about getting a good price on a great TV and an all-in-one Sony soundbar to go with it, this is a deal you’ll want to jump on before it expires at the end of Cyber Monday.
Sony 65-inch A80K OLED and HT-A3000 soundbar: was$2,999.98now $1,899.99at Amazon This Sony 65-inch A80K series OLED TV is a great deal made even better in this Amazon Cyber Monday bundle. In our review of the A80K, we praised it for its deep blacks, impressive brightness, and great suite of gaming features. Add in a Sony Dolby Atmos soundbar and you've got an instant home theater. This deal is for Cyber Monday only, so don't miss out!View Deal
Time for a quick recap
There are loads of Cyber Monday deals live now. And I mean loads. Here's a quick run-down of some of the best ones we've seen so far – and you'll find hundreds more discounts (literally hundreds) over in our dedicated Cyber Monday deals roundup.
Want a budget Chromebook? This one is less than $200
Cheap tech is what Cyber Monday is all about, and it doesn't get much better than paying under $200 for a fully-fledged Chromebook. Right now you can get this Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook for $199 at Best Buy, and according to Computing Staff Writer Allisa James, this is one of the best deals out there right now.
Admittedly this device's specs are pretty low-end – it has an Intel i7-12700F chip but only 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage – but considering you're paying $199 for the thing this is still a really good deal. Plus it's not just a laptop, as a 2-in-1 device you can detach the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3's keyboard and carry it around as a nifty tablet instead.
If you're looking for a cheap school machine for your kids to do their homework on, but also get them a device that gives them some digital freedom you can't do much better.
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook (Intel i7-12700F, 4GB, 128GB): was $379 now$199 at Best Buy Though this Chromebook is sporting some pretty low-end specs, for the price it's still an absolute bargain, especially as a 2-in-1. Better yet, you can give this one to your kids to do their homework.View Deal
This Cyber Monday AirPods deal won't be here for long...
Airpods deals are always some of the most popular offers during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and as of right now, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 are the only Apple earbuds currently in stock. Amazon has the 2nd generation AirPods Pro on sale for $199, which is the lowest price we've ever seen, and we predict it won't stick around for long.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation): was $249 now $199 at Amazon Perhaps today's best Apple Cyber Monday deal is Apple's latest AirPods Pro 2 on sale for $199 - a new record-low price. Apple's all-new earbuds include improved audio quality and noise cancellation and include a wireless charging case that provides more than 24 hours of battery life. Today's deal is better than we saw during Prime Day, too.View Deal
The iPhone 15 is still a long way off, but we've already heard numerous rumors about it. New to the pile is an analyst prediction that the Pro models are going to get solid-state, haptic buttons that don't physically move and sit flush with the body of the phones.
That's as per Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O'Malley, based in part on comments made by Cirrus Logic CEO John Forsyth (via MacRumors). Cirrus Logic already supplies some of the haptic technology that is in the current iPhones.
The company has mentioned new components coming to market in the second half of next year, which coincidentally is when Apple is going to be bringing out new iPhones, and... well, you can see why people are joining the dots.
Click or twist
These buttons use vibrations to simulate the sensation of them being touched, even though they don't actually move – see also the trackpads on newer MacBook models, and the home buttons on the recent iPhone SE phones.
This backs up a prediction we heard from noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, back in October. He also thinks the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (if that's indeed what they are called) will go without physical buttons, though they'll still be attached to the cheaper iPhone 15 models apparently.
We should find out for sure in September 2023. Going with solid-state buttons would improve water resistance and reduce the chance of mechanical failure, though you don't of course get quite such a satisfying click feeling (at least in our opinion).
Analysis: Pro goes Pro-er
For the last couple of years we've seen Apple adding more and more features to the Pro-level iPhones to make them the more appealing options – and with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, they actually had a faster processor for the first time.
It would appear that this trend is going to continue next year, which is something that we've been hearing for a while. It pushes consumers towards the more expensive models, and means the standard editions can be produced more cheaply.
Previous rumors suggest that we're looking at a jump to 8GB of RAM for the iPhone 15 Pro next year, as well as a periscope camera. There will of course be a brand new processor as well, most probably the A17 Bionic (while the A16 goes into the standard iPhone 15).
There's also been talk of an iPhone 15 Ultra, which may replace the iPhone 14 Pro Max in next year's line-up. This would differentiate the available models even further – and would no doubt come with a hefty price attached to it.
We’re likely just a few months away from the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 line, but as usual many of the new features and improvements might be rumored before launch, with two potential upgrades having just been leaked.
First up, there’s the potential for the Samsung Galaxy S23 line to support satellite communications in some form. This comes from a report on ETNews, which states that Samsung is working with Iridium - a global satellite communications company – to provide this functionality on the Galaxy S23 line.
While Iridium is capable of providing voice and data communication services, Samsung will reportedly be limiting the S23’s satellite skills to text messages and small images, due to only being able to put a small antenna in a phone.
That might sound restrictive, but it should be enough to help you reach out to contacts or the emergency services in situations where there’s no cell signal.
Today’s other Samsung Galaxy S23 leak relates specifically to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which will reportedly have a screen that can reach up to 2,150 nits of brightness – or maybe even higher.
S23u max brightness, up to 2150 nits"Numbers might be different at launch, due to further adjustments Min 2100Max 2200+Pwz dimming still lose against Q9 ( slightly )below 2kNovember 23, 2022
See more
The source of this is @RGcloudS, who made the claim on Twitter (spotted by SamMobile), but noted that the max brightness might be slightly different at launch – potentially even topping 2,200 nits – due to further adjustments.
For reference, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra tops out at 1,750 nits of brightness, so this would be an upgrade, which could be beneficial for helping you clearly see the screen in bright sunlight. We would however take this with a pinch of salt, especially as the source doesn’t have much of a track record yet.
Analysis: matching and beating the iPhone 14 Pro Max
The brightest smartphone screen on the planet currently is the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s, which can reach 2,000 nits, so if this leak is right then Samsung will beat Apple and take the new record.
But Samsung will also be competing with Apple if its upcoming phones support satellite communications, as right now the iPhone 14 line is among a very small number of handsets that have this functionality.
However, questions remain over how Samsung’s implementation will compare to Apple’s – if it happens at all – and which will be better.
On the iPhone 14 series, you’re limited to contacting the emergency services, and the feature is currently only available in the US and Canada. So it remains to be seen whether Samsung will allow more general satellite communications, and what parts of the world its service will be available in.
Still, it’s good to see more companies explore this idea, because it’s a potentially life-saving feature, and one that we’d hope to see on most of the best phones in the next few years.
If you’re looking for a new phone and your focus is power, then the newly announced Vivo X90 Pro Plus could be the handset for you, as it’s the first phone to use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
This flagship chipset is expected to power many of 2023’s top Android phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the OnePlus 11, but Vivo looks to have gotten there first.
That’s not even the only major selling point of the Vivo X90 Pro Plus though, as the phone also has a 50MP camera that uses a massive 1-inch sensor. While this isn’t the first phone to use this sensor, it’s larger than what you’ll find in most smartphones, and photos could potentially also be better as a result.
That’s joined by a 48MP ultra-wide camera, a 50MP telephoto camera offering 2x optical zoom, and a 64MP telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom.
Other specs include 12GB of RAM, up to 512GB of storage, and a 6.78-inch 1440 x 3200 AMOLED screen, with a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone also has a 4,700mAh battery, with rapid 80W wired charging and impressively quick 50W wireless, and it’s protected against dust and water, as it has achieved an IP68 certification.
It’s been launched in China, alongside the less interesting Vivo X90 and Vivo X90 Pro. These phones have a few differences to the Pro Plus, with the most significant one being that they use MediaTek's latest Dimensity 9200 chipset instead of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. It's still thought to be powerful silicon, but it’s unlikely to match the Snapdragon.
Actually buying any of these phones could prove easier said than done, as they’ve so far only been launched in China, where the Vivo X90 Pro Plus starts at ¥6,499 (around $910 / £760 / AU$1,365).
There’s no word on if or when they’ll be sold more widely, but there’s a fair chance that at least some of them will eventually be sold in the UK, given that the Vivo X80 Pro is available there. An Australian launch is possible too, but the US is unlikely, as Vivo doesn’t have much presence there.
Analysis: the first of many Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones
There’s no need to wait for the Vivo X90 Pro Plus to go on sale globally, because before long there will be lots of other Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones to choose from.
As noted above, the Samsung Galaxy S23 line will probably use this chipset, and the OnePlus 11 definitely will, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
We already know that one or more phones in the Oppo Find X6 and iQoo 11 lines will use the 8 Gen 2, and it’s looking very likely that the Sony Xperia 1 V, Xiaomi 13 range, Motorola's Moto X40, Nubia's Red Magic 8, and more will use it too.
In short, if you buy any of the best upcoming phones that aren’t made by Apple, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the chipset they're most likely to have. As such, this standout feature of the Vivo X90 Pro Plus is only a limited-time exclusive and one that will likely soon be commonplace, much to the benefit of consumers looking for the most capable new phones.
The iPhone 14 line could hardly be accused of not looking and feeling high-end, but for the iPhone 15 line Apple might make its phones even more premium.
That’s according to leaker ShrimpApplePro (via Phone Arena), who tweeted that the iPhone 15 will have titanium sides. That’s a premium material that’s more expensive than the aluminum used by the iPhone 14, or even the stainless steel used by the iPhone 14 Pro.
But that’s not all, the source also claims that the back edge of the sides will be rounded, so the frame will curve into the rear of the phone, unlike current models which have more of a right-angle.
The back, meanwhile, will apparently still be glass, with ShrimpApplePro saying in a follow up tweet that 'this design will create a really beautiful edge transition from the back to the camera bump.'
So the new iPhone 15From the early information that I have, the iPhone 15 will feature a new border design. The back edge corner (as pointed out in the images) will be rounded and not square anymore. The material also will be titanium. Still very early to take it as it is. pic.twitter.com/hbdCKUhVP9November 20, 2022
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All of that said, you should certainly take this leak with a pinch of salt, as it’s very early for iPhone 15 leaks, as the source themselves points out; even they don’t sound completely confident in there own information, as a result.
We also wouldn’t expect the entire iPhone 15 line to use titanium, even if this does turn out to be true. The source simply says 'the iPhone 15', implying that this material might be used by every model, but it’s premium enough that we think that’s very unlikely.
More likely, it will just be used by the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max (or iPhone 15 Ultra – as that phone might be called). In fact, it’s very possible that only the latter of those will use titanium, especially as another leaker has previously said precisely that.
Analysis: what’s so good about titanium?
Why switch to titanium at all? Well, it’s both far stronger and much lighter than stainless steel. So, Apple could theoretically both increase the durability and reduce the weight of any iPhone models that it graces a titanium frame with – a move we'd fully endorse.
However, these upsides come at a cost – literally, as titanium is also far more expensive than stainless steel, costing around $35 to $50 per kilogram, according to Aesteiron Steels, while stainless steel costs just $1 to $1.50.
As such, titanium tends to be relegated to luxury products, or things that really need it, such as aircraft parts. So, if any iPhone 15 models do use titanium, this change in material should unquestionably be seen as an upgrade, just one that’s likely to make the next generation even more expensive than the current crop of best iPhones.
We're expecting the Samsung Galaxy S23 phones to bring a host of upgrades with them, from the cameras to the processors, but there is apparently one key spec that won't see an improvement: the fingerprint sensor.
Reliable leaker Ice Universe seems to have got hold of a layer of protective glass for the Galaxy S23 Ultra model, and it reveals a spot where the fingerprint sensor will be located – a spot that's the same size as it is on the Samsung Galaxy S22 handsets.
There's nothing particularly wrong with the fingerprint sensor on the Galaxy S22, but as Notebookcheck points out, it had been hoped that the sensor on the Galaxy S23 would be bigger and better. Now that looks unlikely to be the case.
Same old same old
Specifically, the Galaxy S22 is fitted with the capable Qualcomm 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2, whereas it was thought that the Galaxy S23 would carry the Qualcomm 3D Sonic Max – a sensor that's more accurate, more secure, and can scan two fingers at once.
Perhaps Samsung has decided that it wants to stick with the same fingerprint sensor to keep costs down, or perhaps the original rumor about a fingerprint sensor upgrade was off the mark right from the beginning – but this is one upgrade that's now looking unlikely.
You can argue that fingerprint sensors aren't the most important component on a smartphone, but bearing in mind how often we unlock our phones every day, they can have a significant impact on the user experience.
Analysis: fingerprint sensor upgrades
Head over to the official website of the Qualcomm 3D Sonic Max and you'll see there are improvements in a whole host of areas. It's the largest ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor to appear so far, using soundwaves to scan fingerprints at a rapid pace and at an incredibly fine resolution.
It's much harder to spoof a fingerprint with this technology compared with standard optical fingerprint sensors, Qualcomm says. It'll scan fingerprints faster when they're wet, and because of the acoustic scanning deployed, it's more reliable when your fingers aren't perfectly clean as well.
The larger surface area makes it possible for two fingers to be scanned at once, and the sensor has a 1 in 250,000 error rate, according to its manufacturer. However, based on the leaked protective glass that we've seen appear online, we're going to have to wait until 2024 at least to see it in a Galaxy S flagship phone from Samsung.
It's not all bad news though, because the Galaxy S23 is going to bring with it several improvements over the phone that came before it. Already this week we've heard that the handset is going to carry a custom version of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset that provides even greater performance.
The OnePlus 11 is one of the key flagship smartphones that we're expecting to launch during the course of 2023, and we've got some fresh information on what the handset might be bringing with it when it sees the light of day.
According to well-known tipster Digital Chat Station (via Pocket-lint), the OnePlus 11 is going to sport a metal frame with a ceramic body, while the RAM is getting bumped up to 16GB. The OnePlus 10 Pro topped out at 12GB of RAM.
There's apparently another upgrade on the way as well: according to the same source the OnePlus 11 will be one of the first phones to get UFS (Universal Flash Storage) 4.0 for its internal storage, offering twice the data speeds of the current UFS 3.1 technology.
Claim and counterclaim
Those would certainly be interesting and appealing upgrades for the next-generation OnePlus flagship, although we have seen ceramic before on the OnePlus X – and on several models from Oppo, the phone maker which has now merged with OnePlus.
As usual with these sorts of rumors, treat them with caution, even when the source is a reliable one (plans can change and inside information can be wrong, after all). Another tipster who often gets predictions right, tech journalist Max Jambor, says that the OnePlus 11 won't in fact appear with a ceramic body.
Jambor does agree with the UFS 4.0 rumor though, so it would seem that OnePlus is keen to pack as much cutting edge technology as it can into its next high-end product. The phone is expected to launch in the first few months of 2023.
Analysis: OnePlus in 2023
OnePlus hasn't exactly been consistent in its phone launches in recent years, what with the global pandemic and the merger with Oppo and everything else that's been going on – and that means we're not so certain about what's coming in 2023.
Through the course of 2022, we've had the OnePlus 10 Pro, the OnePlus 10T, the OnePlus Nord 2T, and the OnePlus Nord CE 2. As you can see from that list, the emphasis has been on mid-range phones, with only the OnePlus 10 Pro counting as an actual flagship.
There was never a standard OnePlus 10, for reasons that we're not all that clear on. Perhaps OnePlus felt the Pro moniker carried greater weight, or perhaps it felt that its phone launch calendar was already too crowded for this year.
In 2023, the situation might be reversed: we'll get a OnePlus 11 but not a OnePlus 11 Pro next year, according to our friend Max Jambor again, though the 'standard' phone will apparently have the 'pro' components fitted inside it.
We’ve been hearing for a while that Samsung will reportedly use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset globally in the Galaxy S23 line, which was already good news for reasons we’ll get into below. But now it looks like the company might go one better, and equip these phones with an exclusive, even more powerful variant of the chipset.
That’s according to @UniverseIce – a leaker with a solid track record – who’s done some digging and found various pieces of evidence to support this claim.
First, they posted a screenshot from a benchmark for the Samsung Galaxy S23, showing a clock speed of up to 3.36GHz – which is higher than the 3.2GHz speeds the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 typically offers. Next, they claimed that multiple different model numbers exist for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
Finally they claimed to have “confirmed” that the Samsung Galaxy S23 will use a high-frequency version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that’s exclusive to Samsung.
Breaking!The best moment for European users has arrived.The European version of the Samsung Galaxy S23 series is confirmed to use the Snapdragon 8 Gen2, and it is a high-frequency version exclusive to Samsung. Please enjoy it. pic.twitter.com/w6DqCdH30bNovember 16, 2022
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Interestingly, they say this chip will be used in the European version of the Samsung Galaxy S23 line, so it’s not clear whether the same supercharged chipset will be used in the rest of the world or not.
But in Europe at least, the Galaxy S23 and its siblings could be the most powerful Android phones on the planet – though as ever we’d take this claim with a pinch of salt for now.
Analysis: making the best chipset better
If the Samsung Galaxy S23 line really does have exclusive access to a better version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, then it’s unlikely that any other 2023 Android phone will be able to match these handsets. Typically the top Snapdragon chipset of a given year is the best chipset available to Android phones, and there’s no sign that 2023 will be any different.
That’s why it’s good news that Samsung will reportedly be offering Snapdragon chipsets globally, rather than shipping the phones with its own Exynos chipsets in some regions as it's done in the past – and if it’s using an even better version of that chipset, then that’s even better news.
Hopefully, that better version will be offered globally, but if it is limited to Europe then that would perhaps be fitting, as historically Europe has been among the regions that were lumbered with inferior Exynos chipsets.
Of course, this will all be bad news for the other manufactures launching new phones in 2023, as Samsung already outsells other Android handset makers, and its devices are permanent fixtures in our best phones rankings – and having a superior chipset could just extend the company’s lead.